Stranger Things Short Fiction Collection
by Senatoris Imperatoria
Summary: This is a collection of shorter stories (one-, two-, and three-shots) that all center around the relationships between our wonderful characters, and the small adventures they encounter. Mileven, side-Lumax, Jancy, and friendship lie ahead.
1. Chapter 1

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **Welcome to the collection of one, two, and three shots I mentioned in the last author's note for Run Away and Face the Future. I hope you enjoy this accumulation of random plot ideas and character moments that don't lend themselves to a longer piece. I will update RAFF again before the end of the week, but for now please enjoy this one-shot. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 1: Bullies Part 1: Hawkins High School, Fall 1985**

* * *

The Party had entered Hawkins High School with a combined sense of excitement and trepidation. El had finally gotten permission to join the boys and Max at school, and the year was off to a great start. Their arrival had ushered in the creation of the Hawkins High A/V and RPG Clubs, which—while not attracting many members outside the group of friends—gave all of them a new sense of belonging. The only downside to this new adventure were the bullies: many of them the same from Hawkins and many of them newly minted.

Today was a Friday out of the ordinary for Mike Wheeler and Will Byers. El had to go see Dr. Owens with Hopper today, so she didn't make it to school at all. Dustin had plans with Steve afterschool, so he had run out of the building immediately after the bell. Lucas and Max were going on a date, a development that had taken everyone, especially the two participants, by surprise. Thus, Mike and Will found themselves alone in the A/V room that afternoon working on their latest project. Eventually, the two got tired of working alone and decided to call it a day before stepping out into the hall.

Just when Mike had finished locking the door they heard an aggressive voice from further down the hall: "Hey, Frogface! F*****! You two finally lose the freak squad? You're going to regret crossing me." It was Troy; both boys gasped before running the other direction.

"We're idiots!" Mike exclaimed as they reached the end of the hall. It was a dead end: how could they have forgotten this architectural challenge.

"Nowhere to run now," the taller, bulkier boy said with a vicious smirk. Mike looked down at his companion and could see that he was terrified; he was frozen in trembling terror. Will's expression sparked a new bravery inside of Mike—he couldn't let Troy get to him. Mike had always been more protective of Will than was normal for any but the best of friends, and that's exactly what they were.

"Byers, listen carefully," Mike said slowly. Will only looked up at him and nodded before he continued: "When I tell you to, you run. Run to the school entrance, and get help. Do you understand?".

"Mike," Will said with a tremor.

"No. Just do it. Trust me Will," Mike responded before his friend could hesitate any further. Troy had almost reached the by this point, and the larger boy was duly surprised when Mike Wheeler—the president of the A/V club and unofficial chief nerd—launched at him. The fist that reached for Troy's face was ineffective at any level, but it gave just enough time. Mike shouted: "Run. Now, Will. Run!" and his friend complied.

Troy was irritated to see the small boy escape down the hall but he looked back at his remaining victim with intense venom before saying: "You're mine Wheeler." The hardened bully now turned his rage against Mike and began to hurt him brutally. This went on for almost three minutes before footsteps could be heard coming down the hall.

"Get off him!" a loud, angry voice yelled. Troy was pulled off his victim harshly by Jonathan Byers and Nancy Wheeler. Kicking out violently, the bully got far enough from the two angry seniors to escape down the hallway. Jonathan started to go after him before he heard Nancy gasp. Turning around, he saw Mike. He had two large bruises on his face and was doubled over in pain.

* * *

They had promptly taken Mike to the local clinic, where his wounds were determined to be minimal and he was sent home with some bandages. Now, they sat in the Wheeler's basement as Nancy, Will, and Jonathan sat with the boy. Silence had taken hold in the room for quite some time, but now Will looked up at Mike's face from his position next to him on the couch. "Thank you," Will said softly. He let his face fall into his knees before saying "I'm sorry," just as softly.

"Don't even mention it Will. I regret nothing," Mike said with more strength in his voice than anyone expected. He put his hand on Will's back and tried to give him a small hug before wincing from his injuries. Now his best friend looked up with a couple of tears in his eyes before he gave Mike a hug of his own. They smiled at each other in understanding—an action that was followed by a loud outburst from the stairwell.

"Mike!" El shouted as she tumbled down the stairs at reckless speeds. The rest of the party was descending behind her. Immediately upon reaching the bottom, El ran over to Mike and gripped his hands with a worried look on her face.

"El," Mike said finally. "How was your appointment with Dr. Owens?" he asked weakly. Everyone looked at him as though he were insane.

"Did he just ask about that?" Lucas said to Max; both teens looked surprised.

"It was fine. It doesn't matter. Are you alright?" she asked before following up with a startled gasp when she saw the bruises on her boyfriend's face. She couldn't care less about her time with the doctor anymore. Mike was hurt. That was unacceptable.

"I'm alright El. It's not so bad," Mike said unconvincingly.

El didn't fall for it and she asked another question with solemn severity: "Who did this?". The expression on her face when she asked the question made everyone but Jonathan and Max exchange concerned and somewhat terrified glances. Jonathan and Nancy told her the story as they knew it, and Will filled in any details that they had missed.

Will concluded the story by saying: "This is all because he protected me."

Mike shook his head at the statement before saying: "That's what friends do for friends Will. I couldn't let him get you."

El stood up suddenly before saying "Back later," in a small voice.

"Where are you going kid?" Hopper—who Mike and Will had just noticed—said from across the room.

"Troy," is all El said in response before she attempted to walk out the back door. She was stopped by Mike's soft grip on her fingers.

"No El. Please. Don't do anything. It's alright," the boy said looking pained as he moved from his position. The desperate look in his eyes was enough to stop the girl in her tracks as she leaned down to help him back to the couch.

"You can't go out fighting people when you want to," Hopper said sternly.

"He hurt Mike. He's a mouth breather. He hurt Mike," she said as if that was all the justification needed to inflict unspeakable pain on Troy.

"We'll deal with that but you can't do things like this to solve every problem," Hopper said to her.

"You need to be here right now. You need to stay. Mike needs you to stay with him," Nancy said, knowing that the last part would do the trick. She wasn't sure of much anymore, but she was absolutely sure of the bond shared by her brother and his girlfriend. Now that Nancy had properly motivated her, there was no chance of the girl leaving Mike's anytime soon. She sat on the other side of Mike from Will and wrapped her arm around his own gently.

Gripping his hand softly, she asked again: "Are you alright?" the look in her eyes leaving no doubt that she expected a real answer this time.

"I'm hurting some," Mike said with a faint blush.

"No kidding. You look pretty bad dude," Lucas said from a few feet away. Mike just laughed a little and El focused a dangerous glare on the boy who had just uttered what she assumed was an insult.

"He didn't mean it El," Mike said softly before giving them both a small grin.

* * *

The group had settled into quiet conversation as they all sat with Mike, trying to make sure that the boy was really alright. He was a little shaken, but with his friends around he knew it was going to be okay. Eventually, it was decided that the boys would stay the night at the Wheeler house and even Max had managed to trick her parents into agreeing to allow her to stay. Now El looked up at Hopper and asked: "Can I stay too? Please. I can't leave him right now." She had whispered the last part to the man.

Hopper looked down at her and then around the room. He looked over at Mike and saw him sitting with his friends, a small smile on his face as he listened to them carry on with whatever discussion had taken up residence in the basement. "He's a good kid," Hopper finally said quietly, but El still hear and looked up at him surprised. "Fine, you can stay," the man finally said. How could he say no?

* * *

Later that evening, everyone sat in their sleeping bags and blankets on the basement floor. Max and El had gone to change into sleeping clothes in the bathroom, and before they went out Max grabbed El's arm. She looked at El with a serious gaze and gave her a small smile. "I know how Hopper and the others feel about things, but I get you," she said to the confused girl. Before El could question what she meant, she continued: "If you still want to go after Troy I'll have your back." El smiled at the girl sincerely and nodded her head in gratitude—she had never been one for words but her motions were communicating her thankfulness clearly. "I'm mad about it to. He wasn't the most welcoming at first but he's a really great friend once you break his walls. I'm just trying to say that I understand, and I'm on your side."

"Thank you," El finally said verbally. The two girls shared one more smile before walking out to the rest of the group.

"Thank you guys for staying," Mike said softly once everyone had settled down. El—who was positioned next to Mike—grabbed his hand once again in her own and moved up close to his side.

"Of course, Mike. That's what friends do for friends," Dustin said with a grin. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, and they knew that they all meant it. They would stick together no matter what, and that meant protecting each other and taking care of each other. This group of friends would never let one of their own get hurt or suffer alone. Struggles with Troy and the other bullies were nowhere near over, but they knew with unquestioning certainty that they had each other to stand together with. Together, there was no question that they could make it through anything.

* * *

 **(AN) I hope you enjoyed the first Short Fiction. This one will have one or two more parts, which will be posted soon.**

 **Thank you for reading, and please leave a review with your thoughts and opinions. (A/N)**


	2. Chapter 2

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **I have been pleasantly surprised by the response to this piece, so here is the second chapter. Please enjoy reading. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 2: Bullies Part 2: Hawkins High School, Fall 1985**

* * *

There hadn't been enough evidence against Troy to do anything by the time Monday arrived, so Mike was understandably nervous about going back. His friends accompanied him the entire day: they were determined that none of them would be left alone with Troy again. Several students gave Mike confused and surprised looks when they saw the marks on his face, all faded somewhat but still present. A couple of the milder bullies tried to mock him for his new appearance, but a withering glare from El or a swift act of retribution from Max ended that quickly.

Unfortunately, Mike arrived in the gym locker room a little early after his English class was let out ahead of time. That was all the time his predator needed to strike. Troy walked into the locker room and immediately took on a vulture-like grin when he spotted Mike standing alone. Walking towards the smaller boy, he reveled in the look of panic that was intensifying. Mike quickly found himself backed into the wall, but Troy didn't stop. "Don't," Mike managed to say before closing his mouth tightly.

"You can't stop me Frogface. We have to finish what we started yesterday," Troy said threateningly. Just as Troy started to reach towards him, Lucas, Dustin, and Will burst through the door into the locker room.

"Back off!" Dustin shouted. Lucas forced his way in between his friend and the bully before Troy could do anything to him.

"You think you can scare me?" Troy said angrily as Will and Dustin came to stand beside Lucas; Mike was now out of sight. The boys just looked back at him defiantly, and he huffed before walking out of the locker room. They all sighed with relief.

"Thank you," Mike said softly. The group turned around to look at their friend with worried expressions on their faces. They were surprised to find that Mike didn't look at all frightened like he did before. Instead, he looked comfortable with his friends and even managed a nervous smile.

"You alright?" Lucas said.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You guys stopped him," Mike responded. They all exchanged another understanding looks before getting ready for gym and chattering loudly about their upcoming campaign.

* * *

After lunch, the party was forced to go their separate ways for class and that left Will alone in English. The teacher let this section out early too—he couldn't just do it for one of them. Will made the mistake of taking too long to leave the classroom, and the regular bell rang as he was exiting. The classroom next door suddenly burst open as Troy dashed from his math class. He caught sight of the isolated Will instantly, and a smirk materialized on his face. Before the boy could run, he found his arm in Troy's grasp.

"You're with me F*****," Troy whispered into his ear as he dragged him out the nearby exit door. They were now behind the school and Will began to tremble. He hadn't had time to register his peril before it was too late—everything happened too fast. Troy started his work on his victim by shoving him harshly to the ground. Today was not Troy's day it seemed, because that was the only move he got to try before the doors to the hallway slammed open. To his great surprise Mike Wheeler, who he had assumed to be sufficiently intimidated, shoved him away from Will.

"Get away from him!" Mike shouted. Before Troy could get over to the two of them, he found two other people in his path. El and Max stood in between Troy and their friends.

"Try something and you're done," Max said with venom in her voice.

"Leave our friends alone," El said with the same intensity.

"This isn't over," Troy said angrily.

"I know," Mike whispered too quietly for anyone else to hear him. Somehow, El caught on to him and gave him a questioning look. He just shrugged before hugging her side and motioning for everyone to go back into school. They didn't want to be late.

* * *

School had ended several minutes ago and the young group of friends—sans Mike—had gathered by the bicycles. Mike had said they would all meet out here when they got free for the day, so it was strange that he was going to be the last one there. Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Mike was inside the school walking down one of the back hallways. He took a deep breath and tried to build up a sense of calm and confidence. Troy turned the corner to the hallway and was pleasantly surprised to see his favorite target looking vulnerably alone. "Hey Wheeler! It's finally time to finish what I started. I saw all your little freaks leave already, so it's just you and me," the vicious boy exclaimed as he grabbed Mike roughly by the arm.

"You don't scare me. What can you do to me that you didn't do last Friday," Mike said.

"That was just me getting started Frogface. I won't leave your face so pretty this time. Even that little b**** you hang around with won't want to look at you. After that, it's your f***** friend," Troy said with angry venom. The science classroom's door suddenly opened and Troy whipped his head around.

"So, what's going on here?" said the strong voice of Jim Hopper. Troy gaped as he saw the Chief of Police and the assistant principal standing in the doorway to the classroom. "This doesn't look like a friendly reunion," the man continued with a contemptuous smirk.

"I um," Troy started.

"We know what you're up to," Hopper said evenly. "Is that how you normally talk about my daughter by the way?" he added with a more threatening glare. Troy realized what he had called her just a few moments ago and flinched. "Is that enough evidence for you?" Hopper asked the assistant principal.

"Yes sir, that ought to do it," the assistant principal finally spoke up firmly. He then took Troy by the arm and led him away.

"You alright Mike?" Hopper asked the boy.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for helping me, sir," Mike replied with thanks in his eyes.

"Well, we can't have bullies running around, hurting El's friends. Can we?" the man said with a laugh. "Or roughing up her boyfriend," he concluded with a smirk. The boy blushed, but he didn't break eye contact without directing a smile towards the intimidating man. Hopper didn't really understand what had come over him since he saw the kid so hurt for his friend, but he was unable to feel the same gruff aloofness towards him as he had before. He knew how he should feel towards his daughter's boyfriend, but the Wheeler kid was really growing on him.

"I've got to go now, sir. My friends are waiting on me," Mike said. Hopper nodded, but before the kid could leave he put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're a good kid, Mike," Hopper said quietly. The boy looked up at him, surprised. His look faded into confusion before shifting into a silent discomfort.

"Thank you, sir," Mike stuttered out nervously.

"Go on. Your friends are waiting," Hopper said with a laugh.

* * *

The kids looked surprised when Mike finally walked out of the school with a huge grin on his face. They were even more surprised when Hopper came out a few moments later with a similar smile, and his hat in his hand. El ran straight to Mike when she saw him, and gave him a confused look when she saw her father there. "What happened Mike?" she asked.

"Troy has been dealt with," was his answer. Then—as everyone crowded around Mike—he told them the story of that afternoon. He told them about his plan and asking Hopper to help him make it happen.

"Wow. I didn't know you had that in you, Wheeler," Max said with a laugh.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Will asked.

"I didn't want to risk something going wrong and one of you getting hurt," he said sincerely.

"Well tell us next time," Lucas said.

"I had to do this. I wanted to get him on my own," Mike responded while looking down towards his shoes. The others all nodded in understanding. He needed to regain his pride after being subjected to Troy's cruelty.

"We understand Mike," Dustin said.

"Just remember: we're always there for each other. No matter what," Will said with a smile.

"I'm glad you're alright Mike," El said to her boyfriend before leaning up and kissing his lips softly.

* * *

 **(AN) I hope you enjoyed the follow up to yesterday's story. The next update you should look for will be made in RAFF.**

 **Thank you for reading, and please leave a review with your thoughts and opinions. (A/N)**


	3. Chapter 3

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **I do not own "Crazy in Love" and any associated lyrics, tunes, or other media. It is a song that has been covered by many artists and groups; as far as I can tell it was originally written and performed by Beyoncé. The lyrics used in this story are used for the satisfaction of myself and readers, not profit in any form.**

 **In answer to a guest's question: RAFF is the abbreviation I use for my contiguous Stranger Things story. It stands for "Run Away and Face the Future"—the story's title. Regarding this story, I would like to suggest a musical accompaniment: "Crazy in Love" by Emeli Sandé and The Bryan Ferry Orchestra. If you would prefer a little more angst and drama, there is a version of this song on YouTube with the title: "Nightcore Crazy in Love." Please enjoy reading. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 3: Crazy in Love: The Byers Residence, Moments After the Gate Was Closed**

* * *

I look and stare so deep in your eyes  
I touch on you more and more every time  
When you leave I'm beggin' you not to go  
Call your name two, three times in a row  
Such a funny thing for me to try to explain  
How I'm feeling and my pride is the one to blame  
Yeah, cause I know I don't understand  
Just how your love can do what no one else can

* * *

Steve and the kids had just returned to the Byers house, finding Joyce Byers, Will, Jonathan, and Nancy already sitting in the living room. Will looked drained as he sat in between his brother and mother on the couch. Nancy looked panicked as she turned swiftly towards the door of the house, hearing their arrival. "Oh Mike! Where have you guys been? You were supposed to stay here! Why do you look so filthy? Steve? Steve! What happened to him?" Nancy began to frantically ramble. She grabbed her brother in a tight embrace before any of her questions could be answered, but still managed to give Steve a pointed look—insisting he answer her queries.

The kids filled the four of them in on what had happened during the time they were separated. Nancy looked her brother over one more time to check him for injuries before releasing him and moving into the kitchen. Pointing at a body on the floor, she asked: "Is this Billy, then?".

"Yes, that's him. Haven't seen him behave so well in a while," Max said with a grin. Everyone settled into conversation about the evening's events, but Mike wasn't talking with the rest of them. He began pacing again next to the door while shaking his hands in distress.

Eventually, Max walked over to him and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to look at her. She was surprised to see the unshed tears in the normally cold eyes that looked back into her own. "Are you okay Mike?" she asked softly.

"Where do you think they are? It's been so long," Mike said desperately. Immediately, it dawned on Max what he was asking: he was worried about El. Worry wasn't a strong enough descriptor for what his expressions were showing; it was more like the beginning of a panic attack. The two of them had never gotten the chance to be real friends, but she could see the concern in his eyes.

"They're going to be fine Mike," Max responded.

"What if Hopper decided to take her back into hiding?" Lucas said loudly enough for Mike to hear him. Mike's expression went from panicked to mildly catatonic as he heard the remark, and he began staring off into space while one of the tears fell slowly.

Max turned back to Lucas and shouted, "Shut up!" along with glaring at the now wide-eyed boy. He looked down at his feet and complied with her request: he realized his mistake as soon as he spoke. Max dragged Mike out the front door and sat him on the porch steps before she sat down next to him. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. It'll be alright Mike," she said as she put her hand on his back. He stiffened in surprise at the touch.

"You don't know that," he said softly. He was right—she didn't know anything for sure. There were some things she knew though, and that included friendship.

"You're right. I don't know much of anything, but I fell certain that El is still alive. I think you know it too, deep down," she said. Mike nodded at her last assertion and raised his eyes to look at her again.

"You're right too. I know she's alive. I can feel it in every part of me," Mike acknowledged.

"That's half the battle already won," Max said with a smile. "And I know now how much you hurt during her absence. I didn't really understand you until tonight. Everything made sense once I saw the two of you together, and I promise I won't let you lose her again. If Hopper tries to hide her away, I'll help you find her," she continued with unexpected sincerity. Mike smiled at her before frowning slightly.

"Why are you being so nice to me? I've not been very kind to you. You didn't deserve the way I treated you. I'm so sorry," Mike said.

"It's okay. I forgive you. You were in a bad place for the last year, and I understand that now. I know what it's like to go through stuff like this," she said quickly.

"Billy," Mike said simply.

"Yep. I guess you all know now. I never wanted to replace El by the way. She will always be your Sorcerer, but sometimes the party needs a Rogue too," Max said with a hopeful smile.

"Or a Zoomer," Mike smiled back. "You're part of our party. You've been part of our party for a while now—even if I was too stupid to see it," Mike finished.

"Thank you, Mike. That means a lot to me," she said thankfully. They sat there together for several more minutes in silence; an understanding and friendship had arisen between them. After sitting for a while, they heard a car coming up the drive. It was Hopper's Blazer and there were two heads visible in the front seat. Mike stood suddenly and Max smirked when she saw the pure joy on his face when he recognized the two figures now getting out of the car. He rushed over to the passenger side of the vehicle, and was met by a set of equally anticipating arms. Mike and Eleven were now locked together in a hug that made both their universes feel right again. They only pulled back enough to put their foreheads together and look into each other's eyes. Max took a moment to grab Hopper's hand as he turned to walk back to El. "No Chief; they need this," she said with an intense glance.

Looking back at them momentarily, he sighed before saying "Fine then. I guess they've both earned it." Hopper and Max went inside the house where they were met with the surprised glances of everyone there.

"Hopper!" Joyce exclaimed as she shot up to greet him.

"Where's El?" Dustin and Lucas exclaimed loudly.

"She's right outside," Max said with a small smile. "Give them a few minutes first, huh?" she said assertively. Both of the boys nodded in agreement and understanding. Everyone greeted each other and filled in the gaps in the story that could finally be reconstructed. After a while, the door opened and everyone turned to see Mike and Eleven enter with hands interlaced and smiles gracing their features. Hopper realized that the girl had not looked so happy in all the time they were together, and Nancy was having a similar realization about Mike over the past year. They now joined the group and everyone felt the relief of their total reunion.

* * *

Later that evening as everyone was getting ready to settle down for the night—all agreeing to stay at the Byers' for the time being—Mike walked by the entrance to the kitchen and turned back to see all of his friends together. He smiled before feeling a sharp grab to his lower leg. Billy had woken up, and he was angry. "Come here you worthless hick," the older boy shouted as he lunged for Mike.

"No!" came the shout of El's voice from across the room as an intense glare took over her face. Billy froze in place before being slammed into the wall. His head rolled, returning to unconsciousness. El didn't let go of him immediately and only did so at the suggestion of Hopper.

"You didn't have to stop too quickly," Max said with a small smile. The two girls made brief eye contact before El rushed over to Mike.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. He looked down at her and nodded. The two of them embraced again while the room looked on in discomfort as they stared into each other's eyes for quite a while. Eventually, she spoke up again: "I promise I won't leave you again." She said the words with a depth and sincerity that would have frightened any of weak constitution.

"I'll never lose you again. Promise," Mike replied with equal weightiness to his words. Everyone continued to look at the two young people who were clearly in love. Their bond was clearly deeper than anything any of them had ever seen.

* * *

Got me lookin' so crazy right now

Your love's got me lookin' so crazy right now

Got me lookin' so crazy right now your touch's

Got me lookin' so crazy right now

Got me hoping you page me right now your kiss's

Got me hoping you save me right now

Lookin' so crazy your love's got me lookin'

Got me lookin' so crazy your love

* * *

 **Hawkins High School, A Year Later**

* * *

A year had passed since the gate was closed, and now the kids were all in the 9th Grade together. School was always a place of mixed feelings for the boys: a place of learning and of judgement, of friendship and bullies. Their bullies had followed them from Hawkins Middle School, but the party of six never allowed them to have a real impact.

It was a Friday afternoon when the party were assembled in front of the school waiting for Mike to come out of the building—he had to finish the paperwork for the new Hawkins High A/V Club. They turned their heads excitedly towards the door when they heard it open, and were duly shocked by when awaited them. Mike was there, but he had a huge bruise on his cheek and a slight stumble in his step. "Mike!" they all shouted as they rushed over to him. He greeted them nervously as they insisted he explain what had happened. That was unnecessary, however, because just a moment later Troy exited the building with a smug grin on his face: that was a big mistake on his part.

El took one look at him and then back at Mike before she allowed rage to take over her face. Troy tripped and found himself sliding untouched over the ground until he was behind the school. El followed him angrily, and once they are out of sight she begins throwing him against the wall of the school. The party arrived at the place the two of them were, and watched on in shock. Troy could only gaze on in terror when his arm snapped violently and a pressure began to form on his throat. El was reaching out towards him with pure rage in her eyes.

"El, stop!" Mike shouted. He was the last to get to the back of the building and see what was happening. Now he rushed over to her and grabbed her hand gently. Troy dropped to the ground and looked back at the two of them with fear. "Troy, get out of here!" Mike shouted as he turned his full attention to the girl at his side. "Don't hurt people for me El. I'm not worth it, and especially not worth the pain it will cause you," he said softly.

"You are worth it, Mike! We look out for each other, and nothing will change that," she said solemnly.

"I know El. I know," he said lovingly. They settled once more into a stare. It still amazed the entire party how much they were able to communicate through these silent exchanges.

* * *

When I talk to my friends so quietly

"Who he think he is?" look at what you've done to me

Tennis shoes don't even need to buy a new dress

You ain't here, ain't nobody else to impress

It's the way that you know what I thought I knew

It's the beat that my heart skips when I'm with you

But I still don't understand

Just how your love can do what no one else can

* * *

 **A Few Months Later**

* * *

With El's latest corrections, Troy had finally begun leaving the boys alone at school. Unfortunately, El had been subjected to her own form of bullying. Girls in her classes had never warmed up to her—besides Max of course—and every few days she would go home and cry about the things they said to her. Today was one of those days, and El stormed out of the building with a tear streaming down her face. She had made a fool of herself again with her lack of worldly knowledge and social skills, and the girls in her last period PE class had not let her forget it. Mike saw her leaving the building and knew what had happened. He was now fuming at the thought of what they had done to her.

After comforting the downtrodden girl that afternoon, Mike went to see Max. Over the past months, the two of them had grown closer as friends and now they prepared to exact their vengeance on those who hurt Eleven. The girls at school found many complications in their lives over the next two weeks: a collection of random "coincidences" that could never be traced back to a specific person. One day after a couple of El's worse offenders had been reduced to tears by the grind of the daily frustrations, Mike left the school with a smirk on his face. "What are you smiling about?" Max asked.

"Look over there, Max," he said pointing. She looked and then turned back to Mike with her own grin.

"I never expected you could be such a cool operator Wheeler," she said with a light punch on the arm and a smirk.

"No one hurts El and gets away with it," he said resolutely. The girl herself emerged from the building a few moments later with a knowing smile and nodded towards Max.

"Thanks," she said quietly while eyeing both of them. Max just nodded back at her before leaving the two of them alone; she knew it was time for another moment. They could always manage to build their own little world in each other's eyes.

* * *

Got me lookin' so crazy right now

Your love's got me lookin' so crazy right now  
Got me lookin' so crazy right now your touch's  
Got me lookin' so crazy right now  
Got me hoping you save me right now your kiss's  
Got me hoping you save me right now  
Lookin' so crazy your love's got me lookin'  
Got me lookin' so crazy your love  
Got me lookin' so crazy right now your touch's  
Got me lookin' so crazy right now  
Got me hoping you page me right now your kiss's  
Got me hoping you save me right now  
Lookin' so crazy your love's got me lookin'  
Got me lookin' so crazy your love

* * *

 **Wheeler Basement, One Week Later**

* * *

The party was at the Wheeler residence again to play one of their notoriously long games of Dungeons and Dragons. After the campaign had ended, everyone had settled into comfortable conversation except for the two people who sat together on the couch: Mike and Eleven. They were holding both of each other's hands and started at each other as though it had been another 353 days—it had been less than one. "You know, I think they're really in love," Will said quietly to the rest of the group. It wasn't necessary for him to be so discreet, since the entire world had faded into nothingness for the couple.

"No," Max said just as quietly before finishing: "They're crazy in love."

* * *

 **(AN) I know that was a long piece, but I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm not sure whether I'll get back to this collection or RAFF first, but I would probably place my bets here.**

 **Thank you for reading, and please leave a review. I love hearing your thoughts, encouragement, and suggestions! (A/N)**


	4. Chapter 4

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **Trigger Warning: Abusive Parenting, Parental Bullying, etc.**

 **This piece will have some great Mike Wheeler and Jim Hopper interactions—one of my favorite themes. Please enjoy reading. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 4: Someone To Be There For You: Hawkins Public Library, Spring 1985**

* * *

Jim Hopper was not often in the Hawkins Public Library, not least of all due to his rocky relationship with the librarian. She could certainly hold a grudge, and he didn't really blame her for being annoyed. This Saturday was an exception, however, because there were things Hopper had to finish up in the newspaper room. He was making sure that no photos existed in the Hawkins Library that could endanger his adopted daughter. So far, he hadn't found anything too worrying, but he was ready to pocket any document that was too risky. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but El wasn't home this morning and paranoia is never unfatherly behavior.

The Chief was surprised to see a familiar face behind the shelves of books on a Saturday afternoon. It didn't take him long to recognize the face his daughter could not stop talking about: Michael Wheeler. The kid was sitting alone in the back of the library with a stack of books next to him, but that it wasn't the kid's aloneness—though that was strange—that drew his attention. The Wheeler kid was sitting with his chin resting on his knees, tear-tracks and puffy eyes that stared off into space marring his face. He had seen the boy distressed before, but only when he was recovering from his year of separation from Eleven or when he was worried about her safety.

Though he tried to put up a hard face in front of the kid under normal circumstances—he was unofficially dating his daughter—but he couldn't pretend that he didn't like the boy. He was a loyal friend and never let El experience anything but happiness if it was in his power. Thus, he had to walk over and see what had happened to this kid, and he did so. Reaching his side, Hopper leaned down before saying, "You alright Wheeler?". The boy jerked his head quickly to look up at the man standing before him. There were a few unshed tears in his eyes, and he gaped in surprise.

"Chief," Mike said quietly, the surprise not fully dissipated yet. "I'm okay," he continued with no conviction.

"Come on kid; let me give you a lift," the Chief said with unexpected kindness in his voice.

The man was even more surprised when the kid said "Okay" and stood up to walk out with him. He had at least expected some of Wheeler's characteristic sass. Now he was more worried. The boy stopped to check out the stack of five books he had with him, and Hopper gave him a curious look.

As they walked out of the building, Hopper questioningly remarked: "You didn't look much like reading back there." The boy looked down at his feet while they walked, and nodded his head gently.

"They're for El," he said softly with a light blush, "She heard someone on TV talking about Agatha Christie and I told her I would pick up some of her books." Somehow this made Hopper feel even more for the kid: he was clearly hurting but still managed to put Eleven first. When they reached his Blazer, Mike put his bike in the back and got into the passenger seat. Hopper looked over at the boy and saw his mood completely unchanged.

"I've got to stop by my office for a moment; that okay?" the Chief asked.

"Yes, sir," Mike replied. They drove quietly and when they reached the police station Hopper motioned for him to come inside. The kid looked around uncomfortably at the station, and followed Hopper into his office. Once inside, Hopper guided the boy to sit in one of the chairs across from his desk before sitting next to him.

"You gonna tell me what's going on kid?" Hopper asked while trying to look him in the eyes. The boy only continued to look downwards towards the floor.

"It's nothing, sir. I'm fine," Mike finally replied unconvincingly.

"No, it's not. Don't give me that line. Now let's talk for real," Hopper said assertively. "What happened?" he urged.

"I just had another fight with my dad," Mike said after a long pause. Slight realization dawned on Hopper's face as he thought over what Mike had told him. Ted Wheeler had always been a cold man, even back when they were in school. The Wheeler family was one of the wealthiest in Hawkins—not a remarkable record but not nothing—and their kids were never the most or least happy. Regardless, Hopper couldn't help but believe Ted was a lousy paternal figure. He never gave the impression that he cared where his children were or what they did, only how they affected his image.

Silence had fallen over the two of them before Hopper asked: "Can you tell me the details?". He reached out his hand and tipped kid's face up so that their eyes met. One tear slipped out before he began to tell the story in a shaky voice.

* * *

 _Mike had just come home from school on Friday with a report card in hand; the quarterly report card came out right before Spring Break. His parents looked at him expectantly at dinner that night, and he handed it to them with a small gulp. They took the card and read it carefully before Ted looked up at him seriously. "What is wrong with you? Another D in PE? I thought we told you to pull your grades together," the man said angrily. During the year El was gone, Mike's grades had slipped significantly, but now they had returned to their normally high status. He had managed to earn nothing but A marks in his academic subjects, but PE had always been a weakness for him._

" _I worked really hard to do that. The rest of them are up," Mike said nervously to his father. The man only seemed to get more annoyed as his wife just looked over at Holly._

" _What's wrong with your PE score? It should be easy enough to fix that. It's not like you're succeeding at any sport either; you should be able to accomplish something," the man continued reprimanding._

" _I'll try to fix it next quarter; I promise. I did accomplish a lot this time, though. The A/V Club," Mike started before getting interrupted._

" _I don't want to hear about that stupid little club again, Mike. Playing around with toys isn't going to get you anywhere in life! It's probably why you're stuck with that bunch of freaks you hang around with," Ted said._

" _My friends aren't freaks!" Mike shot back hotly._

" _Please; the only people you hang around with are the Byers' f***** and those two other weirdos! You need to try harder to keep good company," he man said with a coldness that only infuriated Mike's heat. "You need to start acting more like a normal kid," Mike's father finished._

" _What do you mean?" Mike asked nervously. He hadn't been expecting this tonight. They had this conversation several times over the years, but it managed to take him by surprise every time._

" _You don't play any sports. You spend all your time doing whatever b***s*** you do with your little freak friends: the endless games and the rest of it. Why can't you be more like me? I acted like a normal person, and didn't waste my life like this!" Ted Wheeler ranted._

" _What?" Mike stuttered out._

" _You're such a worthless disappointment," he shot back coldly before walking out of the room and leaving his son to his emotional pain. Nancy looked over at her brother with a worried expression before he bolted from the room, running to the basement quickly. She decided to let him work this out on his own until he returned to his bedroom later. Huffing as she saw her mother make no move of her own, Nancy retreated to her bedroom. Karen Wheeler was too exhausted to even bother with this latest problem—besides—she had a bath and a book to get to later that evening._

 _Mike curled up in the small fort that stood in the basement and cried silently before falling asleep. Early the next morning, he got up and changed. He was able to leave the house before anyone else woke up, leaving a note for Nancy so that she wouldn't worry. She's the only one who would anyways. That's when he left for the library._

* * *

Hopper looked back at the boy in horror. He had been a father two times now, and he could never imagine inflicting that kind of cruelty on a kid like that. Mike had turned his gaze back towards the floor as a few more silent tears slipped out. The two sat in silence before Mike moved suddenly towards the door, "I'm sorry for bothering you," tumbling from his lips. Hopper realized he had been silent too long and grabbed the boy's arm quickly.

"Wait Mike. It's okay," the man said slowly as he pulled the boy back to his seat. His heart broke yet another time when Mike looked back at him with fear, and he didn't even try to resist his urge to pull the kid into a hug. A few shaky breaths came out of the boy as he cried silently. "It's gonna be alright kid. I'm so sorry. It's gonna be alright," the Chief whispered.

Pulling back, Mike managed to stutter out: "I should be able to handle this." That struck a chord in Hopper and prompted him to query further.

"Has something like his happened before? Is this how your father acts towards you kids?" the man asked gently. He didn't want to scare the kid any further. Mike looked towards the Chief with uncertainty, and the man noticed that he kept glancing at his badge worriedly. He didn't want to get his father into any trouble, and he was here talking to the Chief of Police. Hopper quickly unfastened the badge from his shirt and put it under his hat. "Please tell me Mike. You can trust me," Hopper said just as gently as before.

"Are you sure you want to hear any of this Chief?" Mike asked carefully.

"Hopper; right now, I'm just Hopper," the man said back with a smile. Mike returned the smile with less intensity, but continued to tell him everything. Ted Wheeler had never been verbally supportive of any of his children, and this was not the first time he had told his son how much a "worthless disappointment" he was. Karen Wheeler was too busy or too apathetic to do much about him, leaving the kids mostly at his mercy when he wasn't asleep or watching TV—which was admittedly the largest part of the time.

It was the last thing he said about his mother that hit Hopper the hardest though: "She doesn't really do anything as long as he keeps his promise not to hit us anymore." This was followed by several moments of silence; it was clear that Mike was finished with his story.

"Anymore?" Hopper asked worriedly.

"Yeah, he used to hit Nancy and me when we made him upset. He hasn't in a while though," the boy said shyly. The shock on Hopper's face only masked the anger that burned beneath. Suddenly a knock came from the door, and he turned his head to look at the offending noise. Getting up, he patted Mike on the shoulder before walking over and opening the door. It was Flo, and she was trying to get him back to work.

"Flo, I can't right now. Consider me off for the rest of the day," Hopper told her. She looked ready to argue, but then noticed his badge missing from his uniform shirt and the tear-ridden boy sitting in the office. Flo nodded before going back to her desk. Reentering the office, he sat down with the kid and wiped a couple of the tears off his face.

"Sorry about that Michael," Hopper said. The boy was surprised to hear his actual name coming from the man's mouth, and he finally looked him in the eyes. "Has he ever hurt your little sister?" Hopper asked solemnly; he had to know.

"No! He stopped hitting any of us right before she was born. If he ever hit her, Nancy and I wouldn't hesitate to do something about it. We'll protect her," the boy said fiercely. Hopper never stopped being impressed by this kid's willingness to sacrifice for people he loved whether it was El, his friends, or his little sister.

"It's okay kid," he said with a squeeze on the boy's shoulder. The two of them sat there in silence for a few minutes, before Hopper began speaking again. "You ready to go kid?" he asked. Mike looked up at him in silent fear; Hopper immediately knew what he was afraid of. "I'm not going to take you home. Don't worry about that."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you," Mike said before throwing his arms around the man. They walked out of the police station together after Hopper reattached his badge. Getting back into the Blazer, Hopper began driving towards the cabin. "I'm sorry, Hopper," the boy said softly.

"What?" the Chief asked.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted when El came back. You did the right thing, protecting her. I was too stupid to see it then, but you were right," Mike said with his eyes facing his lap.

"It's okay kid. You missed her a lot. I understand that, and I don't resent you for the way you felt," Hopper said softly. Mike looked up at him with such gratitude that the Chief pulled over for a moment. "I know I've given you a hard time when you're with El. That's what a father is supposed to do, but don't take it to heart kid. You're a good guy, Wheeler. You can come to me anytime you need to. You know that, right?" Hopper spoke sincerely.

Mike looked at him with a smile and yet another tear—this time a joyful one—before responding: "Thank you." They hugged yet again before Hopper resumed driving. When they arrived at the cabin, Mike looked questioningly at the man.

"Go ahead. She'll be thrilled to see you," the man said. Mike shot up and ran to the door. When it opened, he found himself wrapped in El's tight embrace. Watching the two kids, Hopper realized that from now on he had two kids to look out for; he didn't mind one bit. Mike stayed at the cabin for several days over the break, and Hopper gave him a small hug when he dropped the kid back at the Wheeler residence.

* * *

 **(AN) I really enjoyed writing this story. I love Mike the most out of all the Stranger Things characters, and I really enjoy Mike and Hopper moments. It is extremely possible that I'll continue this story in one form or another in more one-shots: what do my readers think? Please leave an answer in reviews.**

 **Thank you for reading, and please leave a review with any thoughts, comments, or suggestions. (A/N)**


	5. Chapter 5

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **Trigger Warning: Abusive Parenting, Parental Bullying, etc.**

 **This is a continuation of the previous piece, and contains more Mike Wheeler and Jim Hopper moments, along with Mileven and Max. Please enjoy reading. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 5: Still There For You: Wheeler Driveway, Summer 1985**

* * *

Hopper had been awoken late in the evening by a caller he did not expect: Nancy Wheeler. He had nothing against the girl, but they rarely interacted outside of near-apocalyptic circumstances. The girl—or young woman as he supposed she was now—sounded mildly panicked as she begged him to drive over to the Wheeler house immediately. Not wanting to ignore any more dangerous situations in the town of Hawkins, he had given in rather quickly; thus, he found himself in his Bronco outside said residence.

As soon as the vehicle came to a halt, the Chief prepared to leap into action before seeing two figures come from the side of the house. It was Nancy and Mike; Nancy's hand was planted firmly on the boy's shoulder. They approached Hopper's door and Nancy moved forwards to greet him. "Hey, Chief. Can you please take my little brother away from here? Please," the young woman asked desperately. Looking closer, the man could see the boy's face turned downwards towards the ground and saw the shadow of bruises on his cheek. Nancy was giving him a distraught look after a few moments of silence, but the man spoke up as soon as he noticed how panicked she had become.

"Yes, of course. What happened?" he asked worriedly.

"Go get in the truck Mike. Go get in now," Nancy said sharply before turning back to Hopper. "I know you know about the situation with dad, but tonight things got worse. He raised his voice to yell at Holly, and Mike stood up to him. He didn't do much really; he just blocked him from approaching her and tried to shout back," she finished.

"So, he hurt the kid?" the Chief asked softly.

"Yeah, he punched him once and slapped him around a bit. I know it'll probably be over for now, but I can't risk it," Nancy said solemnly.

"Oh my, I can't; wow," Hopper trailed off as the shock overcame him briefly. "I'll get the kid out of here. I'll look after him; I promise. Do you and your sister need to leave?" he finally responded after gathering himself.

"No, we'll be fine. He seems to be directing his rage against Mike these days," she said sadly. Mike had now fastened himself into the Blazer, and fixed his teary-eyed gaze upon his sister.

"I shouldn't leave you here Nance," the boy said quietly—fear evident in his voice.

"Don't worry about Holly and me; we'll be alright. I love you Mike," she quickly before walking back towards the basement door of the house.

"I love you Nance," he replied softly. As soon as Nancy was out of sight, Hopper rolled up the truck windows and backed out of the driveway. When the Wheeler house was out of view, Hopper observed the kid's demeanor relax significantly—which broke his heart and rebuilt it in opposing flames. Once some distance had been achieved, Hopper pulled off the road and into the Hawkins Public Library's parking lot.

Looking down at the kid, he quickly asked: "You okay?".

"I'm going to be fine. It's nothing that hasn't happened before," Mike responded. Hopper unbuckled his own seatbelt before reaching over to pull the kid's chin up to face him. He saw several red marks and one purple bruise on his face, tears sliding between them like floods in a sorrowful valley. Not hesitating for a moment, he pulled Mike into a small hug and allowed a single tear of his own to escape once he heard the boy crying into him.

"I'm sorry kid; it's gonna be alright," the man comforted. "Is it alright if I take you back to the cabin with me?" he asked with a small grin. If anything could lift Mike's spirits, it would be going to the place where Eleven was. "She wouldn't forgive me if I didn't bring you anyways," he continued with a small laugh he hoped would be contagious.

"Yeah, I'd like that if it's not an inconvenience for you, sir," Mike said with a tiny hint of a smile and a worried glance towards Hopper's eyes.

Giving the boy another small hug before letting go, Hopper put his seatbelt back on and said: "It's not an inconvenience, Mike. We're always glad to have you." The look of pure trust and relief in the boy's eyes made any sacrifice he had to make seem worth it.

* * *

The drive to the cabin was quiet, but once they arrived Hopper realized that he and El had company. Max Mayfield had spent the day with El; the two of them thrilled to have another girl around with whom to share adolescence. Getting out of the Blazer, Hopper fixed Mike with a worried glance and said softly, "Max is here. Will you be alright?".

Mike looked back up at him cautiously before nodding and whispering, "Yes, sir." Hopper nodded back at him, and they walked to the door together. He knocked on the door in the specific combination El should recognize, and waited until the door clicked and slid open.

"Where did you go, dad?" El asked excitedly as she and Max looked towards the doorway. The man did not comment until he and Mike had entered the building. Both girls gasped loudly when they saw Mike, who was now looking intently down at the floor. They could tell immediately that something was wrong with the boy in front of them—especially El—who could almost feel the pain radiating from him. "Mike!" the girl shouted while running to pull him into her arms. The movement he had to make to rest his head on her shoulder exposed his face to the room; there was a loud gasp from Max when she saw the bruises and marks on him.

"What happened, Mike? Are you alright?" Max asked worriedly. The two of them hadn't started off as the best of friends, but now they had developed an elusive yet tight bond. El suddenly pulled back from the boy and looked straight up at his face, gaping at the horrifying marks.

"It's nothing," the boy said before looking down. The two girls looked at him incredulously and didn't stop until he continued. "It was my dad," Mike said sorrowfully. El let out a squeak before wrapping her arms tightly around the boy in front of her.

"Why?" El asked softly.

"Because I'm a worthless disappointment," Mike responded dejectedly—a single tear flowed free as he spoke.

"No! No, Mike! You aren't worthless or disappointing to me! You're my favorite," El said passionately. She then reached her hand to his face and swept the tear away. Leaning up, she captured Mike's lips with her own and kissed him desperately. The boy melted into her as he failed to keep up his façade. She held him tightly as he cried silently into her shoulder. Eventually, the two of them loosened their grip on each other and separated slightly. Mike smiled at her gently, the insecurities still evident on his face. "Is it okay if I come right back?" the girl asked just as gently. Mike nodded, and El walked over to Hopper's position next to the door—this kind of mistreatment of her favorite was unacceptable; something had to be done about it and Hopper was the one to talk to.

Max walked up to Mike and put a hand on his shoulder, "I understand Mike. I know what it's like." Mike looked at her shyly before realization lit behind his eyes. It dawned on him that she really did understand this, and so did El. They both understood what it was like when your father, brother, or caretaker turned into the enemy.

"Thanks Max," Mike said quietly before giving her a soft hug that she hadn't expected.

Reacting to the surprise with as much grace as she could muster, Max replied simply, "It's going to be okay Mike." After a few moments of silence, she continued: "We'll all be here with you. You aren't a disappointment to any of us." She looked at him with a smile. He returned the smile with sincerity before a hand grabbed his hand gently. It was El.

"Hi Mike," the girl said gently. He turned towards her and gave her an encouraging grin. The two girls had broken through his shields and made him feel better despite the pain. It warmed Hopper's heart to see the boy open up after what he had been through, and he thought back to his conversation with his daughter: something had to be done. There was no way he would let that happen again. These were all his kids, and he'd look out for all of them no matter what. Later that evening, Hopper threw a blanket over the three kids who had fallen asleep together on the couch. Mike was resting his head on El's shoulder and their fingers were interlaced, while Max sat on his other side with her arm resting gently on his shoulder.

* * *

 **(AN) This story has now had two parts, and I can assure you that there will be a third coming soon (though probably not more than that). Thank you for reading, and please leave a review. (A/N)**


	6. Chapter 6

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **Trigger Warning: Abusive Parenting, Parental Bullying, Reference to Past Abuse, etc.**

 **This is the third and final installment of the Jim Hopper and Mike Wheeler sequence. Please enjoy reading. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 6: Someone To Count On: Hawkins Police Department Building, Late Summer 1985**

* * *

The employees of the Hawkins Police Department had become accustomed to the fact that Mike Wheeler would often be seen with their fearless leader. It was strange for them at first to watch the hardened and cold Police Chief soften in the presence of a kid, but after a few weeks they acclimated. Flo was incredibly amused at the way her irritable boss would forget to be annoyed on the days when the boy interrupted his "coffee and contemplation." Today was one of those days: Mike arrived at the Police Station on his bicycle around lunchtime. "Are you here for the Chief?" Flo asked when the boy walked in.

"Yes, ma'am," Mike replied comfortably—the woman was always nice to him when he came in.

"Go on in. There's no point pretending he might turn you down," she said with a small grin. He walked down the small hallway and knocked lightly on Hopper's office door. The man grunted loudly, and the boy proceeded to push the door open. Looking up from the file in his hands, Hopper smiled at the kid entering his office and moved to give him his full attention.

"Hey there Mike," the Chief said encouragingly, "What brings you down here today?". The boy looked back at the man with a smile on his face that seemed radically genuine.

"I have good news, sir," he said with slight pause. "My father's job has given him a promotion in Ohio, and he's going to take it. He's leaving us here, because mom doesn't want to go," Mike said with an excited grin. Hopper looked back at the boy with a smile that displayed the relief he felt—but it didn't share the sadness that overcame the man internally at the thought of a boy being this excited to lose his father.

"That's good news, Mike," Hopper said back to him calmly. He really was relieved to see the man go without a fight. Over that summer, Mike had been forced into the Chief's open arms a few more times after particularly dangerous fights. The man was—quite reasonably—unexcited by the sight of the boy returning to his father's house; a sight he had seen too many times. Mike and the Chief settled into quiet conversation regarding the future before the kid left to see El—with the man's blessing of course.

* * *

Later that evening, Hopper and El were settling in at their forest cabin for a peaceful dinner when a knock came from the door. The two of them looked at each other before the man walked to the door: life in rural Indiana had never been so full of excitement. Pistol drawn, Hopper opened the door and was shocked to see the Wheeler girl standing there. "Nancy! What a surprise; come on in," Hopper greeted. The Chief was no longer greatly surprised by the sudden presence of a Wheeler at his door, but it wasn't usually Nancy.

"Hey Chief," the young woman greeted. It was then that Hopper and El noticed how upset she looked: tears surrounded her eyes and panic quivered in her expression. "I've got really bad news," she continued.

"What happened Nancy?" Hopper asked.

"It's mom. She's leaving too. She's been thinking about it for a long time, and now that dad's leaving she's gonna do it. She's heading to California to live out one of her fantasies," Nancy forced out with despair in her voice.

"She's just leaving all of you here?" Hopper asked incredulously. El looked on from the sides with righteous anger furrowing her brow: how could these people keep leaving Mike behind? She simply couldn't understand it. Hopper continued: "I can't believe she'd be so heartless. Actually, I can. Ted and Karen never were the warmest. What's going to happen to Mike and Holly?".

"Well, I just turned eighteen. She's decided that she can give me custody of them. Apparently, she doesn't see the problem with me raising two children. I don't know what to do! What am I going to do?" Nancy answered, tears taking over by the end. Hopper reached out to squeeze her shoulder comfortingly; El reached out and took her hand.

"It's going to be alright, Nancy. It's going to be okay. You won't be left alone," Hopper said sincerely. They all stood there in silence—taking comfort in their mutual presences.

"I guess the jerks always did have more money than love. At least they aren't selling the house," Nancy finally said softly after a few minutes. Hopper looked out into space for a minute before a look of inspiration struck him.

"You're heading off the college with Jonathan soon, right?" Hopper asked.

"Well, I was supposed to but I guess that isn't the plan anymore. I can't abandon them too. They need to know that someone in this world still cares about them," she said resolutely. This struck at Hopper's heartstrings but also made him smile at his newly forming plan.

"I've got an idea, Nancy. Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Of course, I trust you. That's why I came here in the first place," she said.

"You go to school with that Byers boy like you planned. Leave Mike and Holly here; I'll look after them. I've gotten to know you all over this summer, and none of you deserve to suffer the fallout from this mess. What do you think?" the man said with conviction.

"Are you sure? That's a lot of responsibility to handle. Is it even legal? Where would they stay?" she asked frantically. She could see the hope offered by this plan and it scared her. It wasn't irrational to avoid getting one's hope too stoked when the world was collapsing.

"Yes; I'm sure. I care about all of you kids, and Joyce would be around to help out some too. As for legal, we'd probably have to let you be their 'guardian' but you could entrust them with me. I don't think anyone is going to question anything since I am still the Police Chief around here. You said your parents were leaving the house, right?" the man rattled off in a long breath.

"Yeah; they're leaving it. That's the closest they get to caring. Well, I guess Ted—dad—is going to send some money every now and then, but that won't make up for anything," the young woman said hotly. She was clearly furious at her parents.

"Well then, that's where they would stay. Once a year's up, El can come out of hiding and out of the woods. If it's alright with you, the two of us could just go there too. It doesn't sound like either of you parents are ever coming back anyways. I'll look after all of them. It'll be alright, Nancy," the man said—his plan finally laid out clearly. Nancy looked at his face for a moment before responding.

"Are you really sure about this?" she finally asked.

"Yeah; I am. You were right earlier: they need someone to count on. I think I can be that person for them. I promise I'll take care of them," Hopper said with passion in his eyes.

"Okay; let's do it," Nancy said with a smile.

* * *

It was now the day Nancy and Jonathan were leaving for college. NYU was far from Hawkins, but they promised to come back a couple of times each semester. They were all at the Wheeler house—possibly the Hopper/Wheeler house—where Nancy and Jonathan would depart. Steve was standing to the side with Holly, while everyone else mingled. He had secretly promised Nancy that he'd check in on her siblings every now and then just to ensure they didn't need the kinds of help the Police Chief couldn't offer.

"Bye Nancy," Mike said to her before they both entered into a deep hug.

"I'll talk to you soon, Mike. We don't say it often, but I love you," Nancy said softly.

"I love you too, Nance," Mike replied. They all waved as the two young adults set off for college in Jonathan's old car. Hopper turned to look down at Mike with a smile.

"You alright, kid?" the man asked.

Mike looked up at him before answering: "Yes, sir. I'm alright."

"You're safe now; you and your sister are safe. You know that, right?" Hopper prompted.

"Yes. I know. We're here with you now. I trust you," Mike said softly. The man felt Mike's sincerity and self-allowed vulnerability in his answer. It only made Hopper's conviction solidify further—if it was even possible.

"You can count on me, kid," Hopper said back softly as Mike was pulled away by his friends and El.

* * *

 **(AN) I really hope you all enjoyed this ending to the sequence. I said this was the last installment, but after writing this I'm not sure it will be. Who really knows? The next project I will be embarking on in this collection; however, will be a pseudo Gotham-style take on the characters and relationships that tells a story set in the midst of Mob life. Naturally, this piece will be an AU. There will be lots of good things there: assertive Mike, "bad-ass" Eleven, Mileven, and party friendships. I hope you enjoy that as well. I don't know whether that or the next RAFF chapter will be posted first, but I'm pleased with the way both works are going presently.**

 **Thank you again for reading, and please remember to leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions. They really do make my day! (A/N)**


	7. Chapter 7

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **This work is not really related to either work, but it is inspired by Gotham (the TV series) and Romeo and Juliet (the Shakespearean play). I do not own Gotham, Romeo and Juliet, or any related media, characters, or trademarks. Any similarity is due entirely to inspiration, and I claim no ownership over ideas or story-lines put forward in this work.**

 **Like I said in the last piece's Author's Note, this will be an AU set in a Mob-world. For this piece, Hawkins should be regarded as a large city. It will be necessary to accept some level of artistic license when adapting these two scenarios to each other. Also, for the purposes of this story the "kids" are in high school even though the story is set in a time periods where cell phones exist. I really hope you enjoy this; I've been working on it for quite a while. (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 7: Rivalries and Romances: Hawkins City, Population 11.1 Million**

* * *

 **Background**

* * *

Hawkins City was a place with few equals. At first glance, it appears to be just another big city, but it has more complexity than that. The city is run by both its government and its criminals: authority on the streets is shared between the police and the Mob. Don Ted Wheeler ran the organized side of the criminal world in the city, and Chief of Police Jim Hopper commanded the police department. The old Police Chief disliked the Mob leader and everything organized crime stood for, but his hands were tied by the Mayor's office—controlled of course by the minions of the crime boss.

At least the present situation was less of an affront to Hopper's values than the reign of the former Mayor: Martin Brenner. The two men had come into conflict a few years ago when the Chief discovered the man's secret criminal activities. While the story was an interesting one, the important outcome of their feud was the fall of the former Mayor and the adoption of Eleanor Hopper—a girl Brenner had abused for years. Now the Chief and his adopted daughter lived peacefully in a safe neighborhood and the man was forced to accept détente between himself and the Wheeler crime family. El was extremely happy with her current circumstances: after an abusive past, she finally had a loving father and a best friend. Max Mayfield lived close to the Chief of Police and his daughter, so it wasn't long before the two girls struck up a close friendship.

Mike Wheeler lived what most would call a "charmed life;" rich parents and a privileged lifestyle where all that he had ever known. He knew in general what his father did for a living, but he chose not to let himself get too curious. Besides, he had his friends to occupy his time: Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin had been as close as friends could be from their first year of school together. Both he and Eleanor Hopper had a secret known to very few select friends: the two youths had been romantically involved for years without the knowledge of their parents. They had met while Brenner was still mayor, and El was hiding on the streets for a brief time. Mike—and his friends—had saved her from peril and from that point onward the two had met in secret regularly. It is one of these meetings—this time taking place in an abandoned warehouse near the train tracks—that our story begins.

* * *

 **Discovery**

* * *

Mike had left school on this Friday afternoon with a genuine smile gracing his face; he knew that today was a day when he would get to see his girlfriend. Lucas and Dustin gave their friend a knowing look when they noticed how eager he looked for the final bell to ring. Once it did, Mike rushed out of the building to the car that awaited him outside. A suit-wearing Steve Harrington stood next to the car; he wasn't a particularly inconspicuous bodyguard. "Slow down Mike. No need to get in such a rush; we have to wait for your friends anyways," the young man said to the high schooler. A minute later, the three boys emerged from the building and smiled at the two who were waiting for them.

"Excited much, Mike?" Lucas asked with a laugh.

"Shut up," Mike replied jokingly.

"Alright, alright, let's get a move on," Steve interrupted before the boys got lost in their banter. They all got in the car, and Steve drove away from the school quickly. Crossing the city with little difficulty due to traffic, the party arrived at the freight district and the car came to a stop in front of the warehouse Max had told them about.

As soon as the car stopped, Mike shouted out "Let's go!" and proceeded to leap from the car.

"Hang on a second! Don't get ahead of yourself!" Steve shouted as he chased the boy. When everyone entered the building, they saw El and Max standing next to a window.

"Mike!" El shouted the moment she saw his face. The two teens ran towards each other and embraced tightly before pulling back and resting their foreheads together. Looking deeply into each other's eyes, the world faded out of focus for them both. Max, the boys, and Steve stood together in a small circle of conversation; they all had expected such a reaction from their enamored friends.

"How have you guys been?" Max asked the three boys—her eyes lingering the longest on Lucas.

"We've been doing great! How have you been doing?" Will responded excitedly.

"I'm fine. My brother still comes around occasionally, but it isn't as bad as it used to be," the girl said back nervously.

The boys looked at her worriedly before Steve reacted: "Do you need someone to go 'remind him' of the rules? I can give him a quick 'refresher' if you would like." He smirked at the thought of the mean-spirited thug getting justice.

"No, no. That won't be necessary. I can't come running to someone anytime something upsets me, can I? Even if you're the nicest 'gangster' in town," Max said with a smile taking over at the end. It was a long running joke between all of them; Steve had very little street thug or criminal in his personality—just a protectiveness that he applied liberally to this group of kids he had come to love. After a couple of hours of friendly camaraderie and romantic reunion, the sounds of boots walking down the row of warehouses reached them.

"Who could that be?" Max asked quietly.

"Shh! Be quiet; I'll take a look," Steve said, waving his hand at the previously rowdy teens. He moved to the entranceway and peeked around the corner; it was the railyard security. "It's the security guards. We need to go. Now!" he said forcibly to the kids. Everyone looked at each other quickly before sprinting to the car. It wasn't comfortable for all seven of them to cram into the vehicle, but they knew that they had to manage it for now.

"My house isn't that far," Will offered once they were sure the guards hadn't seen them.

"That could work. I'm not too comfortable with this many passengers anyways," Steve said quickly—it was obvious to everyone why El and Max shouldn't be spotted with Mike and Steve. The drive to Will's house didn't take more than ten minutes from that point. When they arrived, they entered through the back door and slipped into Will's room.

* * *

Today had been an interesting day for the Chief of Police. It had started with a normal lack of remarkability, and Hopper sat in his office at Police Headquarters reading over case files and employment records. It was a Friday, so among this day's files were those of new hires by his department. He always liked to read through the list of names that would be protecting Hawkins City in the future. That was where the interesting parts of the day had begun: he reached the end of the list and froze at the last name. The last entry read: "Forensics and Evidence Division: 1 New Hire: Jonathan Byers, crime scene and suspect photographer, civilian, cleared for work, central precinct." Running immediately out of his office, he shouted to his secretary: "Tell the garage to ready my car! I'm going down to the central precinct." The order was followed, and the Chief made his way to the urban precinct.

"I wasn't expecting you today, sir. Anything in particular that brought you down here?" the precinct captain asked as his superior entered the building.

"Yes, there is. I just need to make my way to your photography desk. Is it still where it was when I worked here?" the Chief asked.

"Yes, sir," the captain answered with a confused look on his face. Hopper proceeded back to the desk in question, and saw a young man sitting there. Something about his look was very familiar—now Hopper knew he had been right.

"Hello there. I assume you are the new photographer," Hopper said softly.

"Oh yes! That's me," the young man said before looking up. When he saw who was speaking to him, he leapt from his seat and gaped openly at the Chief of Police. "How can I help you sir?" he concluded nervously.

"Do I look at all familiar to you?" the man asked.

"Of course! You're the Chief of Police," he said before a look of uncertainty came over him. "Wait—you do look familiar. You're the man that used to come around when dad left us! Am I right?" Jonathan asked enthusiastically.

"Exactly right. I'm surprised to see you here Jonathan. I thought your mother had left the city. Why would you come back?" Hopper asked with a kind smile.

"She moved back here years ago. We've been back for a while. Didn't you know?" the young man asked.

"No. She didn't tell me; we haven't talked in more than a decade," the Chief said with a hint of disappointment.

"I always knew the two of you were close. I just assumed she told you," Jonathan responded uncomfortably.

"When do you get off, kid?" the older man asked.

"In about five minutes, sir. I'll catch the H train back to my mom's house," the younger man answered quickly.

"How about a ride home? If it's all right with you. I'd really like to see Joyce again. I'm not crossing a line here, am I?" the man said—almost nervous.

"No, sir. I would like to think she would appreciate that, sir," Jonathan said a little more comfortably.

"Alright then, I'll meet you outside in five minutes," the Chief said.

* * *

The drive to the Byers residence was awkward to say the least. Jonathan may have been taking a man to see his mother, but that man just so happened to be the Chief of the police department he worked in. Hopper was beginning to get nervous as the address Jonathan had given the driver seemed to be taking them deeper into the Mob's exclusive territory. They drove past a row of warehouses, and caught sight of a black car speeding away at high velocity; that isn't radically out of place in this part of town.

When they arrived at the house—more of a townhouse really—the Chief ordered his officer escort to stay in the car. Jonathan walked immediately to knock before pulling a key out of his pocket. There was a shuffling sound from inside the home and as soon as the door was opened Joyce Byers was standing there ready to greet her oldest son. "Hey Jonathan; good first day?" the woman asked before looking beyond the young man. Shock replaced any emotion that had been present in her appearance, and she stuttered out one word: "Hop."

"Hi Joyce. It's been a long time," the man said softly. Their eyes met across the threshold, and the intensity was nearly tangible. After nearly three minutes of silent staring, Joyce looked away and gestured for the two men to enter the house.

"So, I guess you know I'm back now," Joyce said.

"Apparently, you've been back for a while now," Hopper said with a mixture of disappointment and sadness.

"I'm sorry Hop, but I wanted my kids to be safe. You were rising through the ranks at the HCPD, and I needed to keep a low profile. Lonnie could have found us if I didn't. Please understand Hop! I never meant to hurt you!" Joyce exclaimed passionately.

Hopper's resolve broke and he walked over to Joyce: "You're right. It's alright." He pulled her in for a soft hug before pulling away completely. "Why live out here though? This is Mob territory; it's not very safe either," he said curiously.

"I'm safe out here," she said evenly—any emotion in her voice had been dampened into stoic submission.

"What do you mean? You don't mean that…You don't mean that you're part of all that, do you?" the Chief asked with desperate—morbid—questioning.

"I'm not a gangster if that's what you mean, Hop," she said with light anger in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Joyce. I know you better than that, but what's going on?" Hopper asked.

"I work at a shop not too far from here. It's a decent job, and no one bothers us," she said more softly.

"Oh; alright then," Hopper finally ceded. "Well, I know how Jonathan here is doing," he said while putting a hand on the young man's shoulder, "How is Will doing?". Just as he asked the question, there was a loud creak and a small thump from upstairs.

"He's doing fine, and that must be him now. Would you like to see him?" Joyce asked.

"Yeah; I would. I haven't seen the little guy since he was barely crawling. He doesn't even remember me; I'm sure," the man said with a fondness in his voice.

"I heard you've adopted a girl," Joyce said in a voice that would have better suited a question.

"I did. Her name's Eleanor—El. She's sweet and I think the two of you would get along. You can meet her whenever it works for you," the man said with a sincere smile.

"I would like that," Joyce said as more noises reached down from the ceiling. The two adults gave Jonathan a small wave before walking over to the stairwell. They ascended to the upper level before pausing in front of the door. Joyce whispered, "Ready?" and Hopper simply nodded. Joyce knocked once before opening the door; she had no idea what was waiting inside. When the two stepped inside the room, shock overtook their expressions. Inside there were seven people; one of them—the older one in a dark suit—was standing near the door and fixed Hopper with an unreadable stare.

Hopper's eyes immediately fixated on one person, though. He saw his daughter sitting there next to Will's bed—her hand in the boy's next to her. Confusion bled over into fury and fear as he realized who his daughter was with. He saw his daughter sitting hand-in-hand with the Mob Don's son: Michael Wheeler.

* * *

 **Acceptance**

* * *

"What in the blazes is he doing here?" Hopper asked with furious passion. He focused his glare on Mike before turning it to focus in turn on Joyce, the dark suited man, and finally his daughter. "And what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be this far out here! What is going on here?" the man finished with annoyance. Joyce simply gasped as she realized what was happening, and her hand moved involuntarily to her mouth.

"Dad; what are you doing here?" El stuttered out as she stood in shock. The boy next to her stood and his eyes widened when he realized who had just entered. Hopper didn't answer her as he stormed across the room. Grabbing El by the arm, he harshly pulled her away from the Wheeler kid and towards his side. The boy moved forward as if to stop him, so the Chief shoved him back harshly; he would have tumbled to the floor if not for Will catching his shoulder.

"Hey! Hands off!" Steve shouted from the side of the room. He had his own pistol drawn and pointed directly at the Chief of Police's head before anyone else could to react to the development. Maneuvering to place himself in between Mike and the Chief, he let his glare speak for itself.

"Steve, no! Please everyone; just calm down!" Joyce shouted. She gave Steve a pointed look before motioning for him to lower the weapon. He didn't look back at her.

"I'll stand down if he agrees. Hands off," Steve said resolutely; the young man took his job very seriously. Hopper only glared back at the man with anger still marring his face.

"Please Hop," Joyce begged.

"Fine. I won't touch the little brat," Hopper spat.

"Fine," Steve spat back, pocketing his pistol.

"I should arrest you for this," the Chief said to the man whose name was apparently Steve.

"That's enough; both of you!" Joyce and El shouted in unison.

"I've got this Steve; hang back," Mike said, emerging from behind his protector to push forwards into the foreground. He fixed a look at the Chief of Police that could best be described as defiantly resolute. Extending his hand, Mike said: "Hello Chief Hopper. I don't believe we've ever met."

Ignoring the offered hand, Hopper shot back: "We haven't but there's no need to change that."

El finally shot him a scandalized look from his side and said, "Why are you being so rude to Mike? He's trying to be nice."

"It's nothing El; don't worry about it," Mike said—the smile on his face had not faded at all. A life lived in the shadow of Don Wheeler had given him remarkable resilience. The Chief now looked between his daughter and the Mob boss's son with confusion: they clearly were not strangers.

"Will someone please explain what's going on here?" Hopper said with exasperation.

"Okay, okay; please sit down everyone. We all need to talk through this," Joyce said with a motherly tone. Jonathan entered into the room as well; no one had been particularly quiet.

"It all started the day after I escaped from Papa," El started. "I was on the streets for the whole first day, and by the second evening I was getting pretty scared. I walked into the woods near the freight district, and that's where I met these guys," El continued while gesturing to the boys. "They looked at this girl who was soaked with rain, and Mike took me back to his house. His parents never knew I was there even though I was there for the whole week. I told him not to tell anyone. He quite literally saved me, and brought me in out of the rain. At the end of the week, I ended up with you. I couldn't forget him, and it turned out that he felt the same. After nearly a year of looking for me, he managed to find me at our house and we've stayed in contact ever since. Max met them after she moved into the area, and I swore her to secrecy. We have all been meeting up for years; they're my friends," El told her story with passion.

"Wow; I never expected something like this El," Hopper commented passively.

"That's not all dad. Mike and I," El continued before pausing for a moment, "we've been dating for a couple of years now."

"What? You're dating him! Dating? Do you really understand who he is?" Hopper interrogated angrily. His anger made Steve push his way forward again, hand wavering inside his suit pocket.

"No, Steve! You're not going to hurt him. El really loves her father, so you're not going to do anything to him," Mike said sharply. Steve continued to glare at Hopper, but backed down. Hopper looked confused yet again, so he turned to Joyce with a questioning look.

"Hop; come with me for a moment, will you?" Joyce asked carefully.

"Only if El comes with me," Hopper shot back.

"Look; Jonathan will stay here with her. Please come with me for a moment!" Joyce now begged. Hopper looked cautiously at Jonathan before turning back to her and nodding. The two exited the room and walked down the stairs into the entrance area.

"Thanks Steve; for not shooting dad," El said with a smile.

"Don't thank me kid. Thank your boyfriend," Steve replied with a similar smile. El just smiled weakly at Mike before the two intertwined their hands.

* * *

Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper reached the bottom of the stairs and the woman led the Chief to sit at the kitchen table. "I know it's a lot Hop. I didn't mean for things to go down like this, but we've got to talk this over. What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's all a shock to me. I was also unprepared for that boy to be with my daughter; now they're dating. How can she not see what she's gotten herself into—who she's gotten into it with. And how are you so calm about all of this Joyce?" Hopper quickly rambled.

"I know this has been a tough evening for you, but we need to talk about Mike. He isn't a bad kid. He's a really nice boy, and you shouldn't be bothered by his affection for your daughter," Joyce began.

"Joyce; he's a Wheeler. I know about them. There's nothing to say; he's just like them. I'm sure of it," Hopper interjected.

"Stop Jim! Stop! I don't want to hear this because it isn't true. You're wrong about him! Now let me talk!" Joyce yelled back at him. Hopper was shocked by this outburst, and simply nodded his head to give his acquiescence. "Mike has a good heart. He always looks out for his friends—always. That's why we stay in this area. He had his father put us on the Mob's protection list. They made sure Lonnie couldn't find us here. He's always looked out for Will too. When the other kids found out that he was gay, he had to deal with a lot of bullies. As soon as Mike figured out what was going on, he put a stop to it. The two of them have been friends since Kindergarten, and they never fought in all the time since. It's a good thing he's such a good kid, too. I'm not sure any of the teachers at that school have the guts to discipline Don Wheeler's son. They don't have to though, because he's never given them cause to worry. I love him like my own kid, and you need to accept that he isn't a monster—nor is he his father," Joyce orated with vigor.

Hopper sat there quietly before responding: "Are you sure about him, Joyce? It's just so surreal for me right now. My daughter is dating a Mob boss's son and apparently that isn't a bad thing. How am I supposed to process that?". Hopper looked over at Joyce with confusion clearly overtaking his anger.

"You need to talk to the boy. He tried to reach out to you. El has told him a lot about you, and he has always taken her at her word. Give him a chance," Joyce said with a small grin.

"Okay; I'll do it. I need to tell my escort to be patient with me; can you have him come down here and wait for me? I think it would be better if we talked alone," Hopper said—finally giving in.

"Alright, Hop," Joyce said, nodding. She walked up the stairs to get Mike, who looked back at her nervously when she told him the plan. He agreed though and gave El's hand a squeeze. Steve insisted on speaking with Hopper before leaving Mike alone with him, but agreed to go along with the plan in general.

* * *

Hopper reentered the kitchen and immediately saw the Wheeler boy sitting at the kitchen table with his hands clasped together in front of him and facial expression completely devoid of feeling—clearly, he had taken etiquette lessons from the Mob if not a value system. Steve stood behind him with an equally unreadable expression. Hopper finally spoke up: "Hey there kid. Can your attack dog there let us have a few minutes?".

Steve answered before Mike could even consider it: "I'll go in a moment but we need to have an understanding first." Hopper nodded to indicate that he was listening. Steve continued, "I'm going to trust you because Joyce said I could, but if you lay a hand on him I'll make sure you never see the light of day again. The same goes for all those kids actually, but I think you're only a threat to him. Do we have an understanding?".

"Yes, we do," Hopper replied with a curt nod. Steve walked back up the stairs and reentered Will's bedroom.

"Sorry about him; he takes his duties very seriously," Mike said.

"It's okay. I would too if I had your father on my heels like I'm sure he does," Hopper responded before realizing what he had said. He attempted to compensate: "Sorry; I shouldn't have said,".

Mike interrupted: "No. It's fine. I know exactly what you mean; my father has a reputation and he's done a lot to earn it. Steve doesn't care just because of him, though. He really cares—probably more about Dustin than about me, but he really does look out for all of us." Hopper was stunned by the boy's response, so he didn't take the initiative to continue the conversation on his end. Mike continued: "I know you hate me, but I really want to earn your trust. I love El. I have been in love with her for years, and I know how much she adores you. I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you hate me, but please tell me what I can do to start making it up to you." The Chief looked over the kid in front of him before making a silent decision.

The man spoke: "I don't hate you. I'm uncomfortable, but that's only because I was scared for my little girl. Yes, your dad's pretty scary but I shouldn't have held that against you. I'm sorry for that."

"I understand, sir," Mike interjected.

Hopper continued: "I want you to know that you don't have to do anything to make something up to me. Just let me say this: I love my daughter more than anyone else in this whole world and if you hurt her, I'll hurt you. I accept anything Steve will do to me afterwards, but that's the way things stand."

Mike looked back at Hopper before his passive face broke into a smile: "I don't have any bad intentions towards your daughter. I would never do anything to hurt her. I love her more than I care about my own safety, and I'll make sure she never gets hurt if it's in my power." The two of them looked into each other's eyes before Mike broke out into a grin and extended his hand to the Chief. The man looked back at the boy for a moment, then took his hand and shook it heartily. Mike seemed surprised by the action, but then his smile widened even further.

"I think we can get along just fine, kid," Hopper said softly. "Joyce told me that you looked out for Will a few times. I have to thank you for that. I wasn't able to be here for her and those two boys, but it's good that someone was," the man said sincerely.

"You don't owe me thanks for that. Will is my best friend, and I would do anything to keep any of my friends safe. Those mouth-breathers at school deserved what they had coming," Mike said with a loyal look in his eye.

"Dare I ask what you did to them?" Hopper queried.

"Nothing too bad. They were hurting Will: calling him horrible things and hitting him. I figured out what was happening after about three days, so I ended it. I gave them a single warning, and then after they ignored me I had some of dad's lackeys follow all of them home after school. That stopped most of them. The next afternoon, I had them repeat the prior solution and then had one of them pay some high schoolers to rough up the ringleaders. From there on out we haven't had a problem with any of them," Mike told the story with a cold touch.

"Wow, kid. You certainly don't go half way when you look out for your friends. I thought it was going to be far more subdued than that, but I should have known better," Hopper said. He didn't look as alarmed as Mike had expected him to.

"I love my friends, and if they're willing to forgive me for being the son of a monster then they might as well share the perks with me. They're the only friends that stuck by me once everyone at school figured out who I was. I would do anything for them," Mike said, his smile never faltering.

"I really am sorry for giving you a hard time about your dad. He's by far not the worst character in this city," Hopper noted.

"I know, sir. That badge of "honor" definitely goes to Brenner—El's told me about her childhood with him. I know he isn't dead, so if he ever pops up again please tell me or Steve," Mike said with a look that prompted a response.

"Why do I need to tell one of you? I'm the Police Chief; I'm perfectly capable of dealing with this on my own," the Chief said.

"I know you can handle yourself, sir. Brenner though, requires more than policing. If you ever find him, I can ensure that the problem is dealt with permanently. Dad isn't in the habit of saying no to his kids as long as he doesn't have to spend extra time with us. If that man ever comes for El again I want to make sure he never breathes another breath," Mike said with a look on his face that had to have been inherited paternally. It was a little intimidating if Hopper were to be honest with himself, but he wouldn't tell the kid that.

"We'll see," Hopper finally responded. The two of them nodded at each other in understanding.

After several minutes of silence, Mike looked up at the man and said: "Hey Chief; would you be up for a little joke?". The boy just grinned at him until he was too curious to say no.

"What did you have in mind?" the Chief asked.

* * *

The group in Will's bedroom had tried to keep up the small talk, but the longer Hopper and Mike were downstairs together the more worried they got. Suddenly, Steve's phone rang with a tone that only belonged to one contact: Mike. Answering the phone, Steve said: "Yes Mike. You need something urgently? What? Are you serious? No! No!" and suddenly hung up the call. He sprinted out of the room, ignoring the questions and glances thrown his way.

"What did he say, Steve?" Dustin asked loudly.

Steve didn't look back before answering: "He asked me for the body disposal guy's number."

"What?" came the unified shout of the group. They all stormed down the stairs to see Mike standing over the Police Chief. The man was laid out on the floor with his eyes shut, and Mike turned towards them as they reached the bottom.

"What happened?" Joyce yelled before both Mike and the apparently not dead Hopper started laughing hysterically. Everyone looked at them confused for a second before they realized what had happened.

"That was funny," Mike said simply before offering his hand to a grinning Hopper.

"The kid suggested it and I couldn't resist the bait," the man said. Everyone looked at the two of the with confusion. Less than an hour ago they had been at each other's throats, and now they were collaborating on a prank. Clearly their conversation had gone well. The entire group conversed jovially for a few moments before going their separate ways: El and Max riding home with Hopper, and Lucas and Dustin riding home with Mike and Steve. Chief Hopper pretended that he didn't see Mike and El kiss right inside the door before she left with him.

* * *

 **(AN) I really hope you all liked this new AU. I've never tried such a radical set of changes before, so please tell me how it went. It is extremely possible that there could be more installments of this idea if it gets good reviews. Regardless of what your opinion of it was, please leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions.**

 **Thank you again for reading, and especially for wading through this especially long piece! (A/N)**


	8. Chapter 8

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **This piece is a continuation of the previous story—the same premise and setting are in use. I hope you continue to enjoy this adventure into the unknown. In addition, at the suggestion of CDsis (a reviewer) I will eventually be making this into an independent story. When I do so, I will post whatever chapters are in this collection along with any new chapters. I'm not going to take that step until RAFF is finished, but it will be something to look forward to.**

 **In the current state of things, this story will consist of a series of moments set in the world I created. The overall plot will not be as centrally threaded as a true multichapter fiction. Thank you for reading and please enjoy! (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 8: Friends and Courtesies (Sequel to Rivalries and Romances): Hawkins City, Population 11.1 Million**

* * *

Michael Wheeler found himself sitting in the central precinct of the Hawkins City Police Department, and was currently sitting in an interrogation room. He was wearing an expensive suit at the moment—not his favored attire. Today he had been forced to attend a horrible party with his parents at the Mayor's mansion; his father had been there to symbolize the Mob's support for his reelection. After the event, he and Steve had walked off towards the shopping district to browse the selection of electronic components. On the way, they ran into a newly christened police detective, who was far too thrilled to have run into a prominent mobster's son. Clearly, the young man didn't understand how dangerous it was to mess with the kids of the city's most powerful man.

Despite the annoyance of being singled out and persecuted due to his parentage, Mike tried to keep his cool throughout the entire ordeal. He told Steve not to do anything violent and not to make a call to his father; he was annoyed but didn't want the young detective to end up dead. When they arrived at the precinct, all the other police personnel kept their distance from the boy and the man who brought him in: they all knew what their young colleague didn't understand. Mike knew what he wanted to do to end this mess, so he demanded the officer allow him a phone call. The officers sitting near the phone gave him looks of pure terror: they must have thought he was calling his father. Mike dialed his favorite phone number instead; El picked up her phone immediately. "Hello, Mike!" the girl said enthusiastically.

"Hey, El. Sorry to call under unpleasant circumstances, but I need you to call your father. Please tell him that I'm at the central precinct, and could use some help. I didn't know who else to call without things getting out of hand," Mike replied.

"Are you okay? You're not in danger, right?" El said frantically.

"Yes; I'm okay. There isn't anything too serious, but I need him to help me resolve this calmly," Mike said.

"I understand Mike. I'll go call him right away. Good luck; love you!" El finished.

"Thanks; love you too!" Mike said before ending the call. "Alright, what's next?" Mike remarked when looking back at the young detective.

"Well I'm taking you to interrogation. You must have some good information for us," the man said.

"Well, I'll go with you but no information will be shared today," Mike said smugly.

* * *

Hopper wasn't expecting a call from his daughter today, and he especially wasn't expecting the call to be about her boyfriend. Now he found himself returning to the central precinct—an activity that was necessary more often than he preferred. The Chief of Police entered the building and was greeted immediately by the precinct captain: "Hello, sir. How can we help you today?".

"I'm here to deal with some business. Where is he?" the Chief asked pointedly.

"The Wheeler kid? He's in the back; he's in the interrogation room. Detective Yarbrough brought him in earlier. I'm not sure he understood what he was doing. He's a good detective, but he's too young to understand that you don't mess with the mob. He's been deluding himself with ideas of heroism," the captain replied.

"Well I'm hoping you can make sure your future detectives understand the situation better before being unleashed on the streets. You're dismissed," Hopper said with annoyance. The captain simply nodded before getting out of the way; his superior was clearly furious. Chief Hopper walked predatorily back to the interrogation room—everyone jumped out of his way. He passed by Steve Harrington on the way and made sure to give the young man a gentle nod and small grin before continuing on. Looking in the window to the room, he saw a young man sitting across the table from Mike. The boy was staring off into space, ignoring the detective's questions.

* * *

 _It was seventh grade, and Mike Wheeler had just arrived at his school. The boy met his friends outside: Will, Lucas, and Dustin had been waiting for him. Mike had no idea that today would be a momentous day in his life. When the boys walked into the school, they noticed all the other kids looking at them and whispering amongst themselves. None of them had ever been that popular at school, but these looks were different. Mike was surprised when he made it to his first class without being stopped by any of the normal bullies. Even Troy had avoided him. This state of affairs continued all the way to the lunch period. He made his way to the party's usual table but found Lucas and Dustin giving him the same kind of look everyone else had been giving. Mike sat down, but the look of hurt on his face must have been overwhelmingly obvious—the boy had no idea why everyone seemed to be distancing themselves from him. Will moved to sit closer to him and gave him a sympathetic glance. "You okay Mike?" Will asked._

" _No; I'm not okay. Can we talk?" Mike said._

" _Yeah, of course Mike. Want to go to the A/V room?" Will responded. Mike just nodded sadly as he stood to leave the table. Will shot an annoyed look at Lucas and Dustin as he began to follow his best friend: "What's wrong with the both of you? The party sticks together no matter what."_

 _When Will and Mike entered the A/V room, Mike turned and spoke quietly: "Thank you, Will. You can always tell when I need some help. I just don't understand what's happening. Everything was normal yesterday, but now everyone is treating me like I'm toxic—even Lucas and Dustin. Why? What did I do?"._

 _Will closed the door behind him and spoke to Mike: "You didn't hear what they were talking about did you?". Mike shook his head to indicate that he had not. Will continued: "They're talking about you Mike. Well they're talking about things that have to do with you. Someone figured out who your dad is. Whoever found out told everyone how terrifying he can be, and now they're all scared of you. I'm so sorry Mike. I promise I didn't tell anyone. I promised you I never would."_

" _I know you wouldn't tell anyone Will. You're the best friend I could ever ask for. I guess I should have known it couldn't be a secret forever; now everyone knows I'm the son of the monster. I hoped Lucas and Dustin wouldn't abandon me too, but I guess I'm just not worth it anymore," Mike said with deepening sadness. He had always feared that a day like this would come; he worked very hard to hide his family identity from everyone._

" _It doesn't matter Mike. If they don't realize that you're the best friend they could ever want, then that's their loss. You're my friend Mike, and nothing could ever change that. You're more than worth it," Will said sincerely. He knew how self-conscious Mike was about his family; the boy had always been ashamed of his father's reputation._

" _Thank you Will. I'm glad that you and I can be friends still," Mike said before bringing his best friend into a tight hug. Later that day after the final bell had rung, Mike and Will walked out together where Mike saw the black car sitting in wait. Clearly, the other kids realized why the car was there and they made sure to give the boys and the car a wide berth. Mike saw Lucas and Dustin waiting in the party's normal spot and he made sure to avoid looking either of them in the eye._

 _The two boys intercepted Mike before he could walk away, and Lucas spoke up first: "We're both really sorry Mike. We shouldn't have let those jerks get between us like that. The party sticks together, always. Will you forgive us?"._

 _Mike looked back at them momentarily before he smiled, "Yes. Friends always forgive friends. I hope you can forgive me for never telling you the truth; I didn't want you to hate me."_

" _We don't hate you Mike. We were surprised earlier and reacted stupidly. There's nothing to forgive you for Mike. I'm happy we can still be friends," Dustin replied quickly. The boys all looked at each other for a moment before Mike gestured for them to all head for the car. He knew that this would be a moment to remember any time he needed to center himself on what really mattered._

* * *

Hopper opened the door to the interrogation room with no warning, and fixed the young detective with a pointed glance. "Chief Hopper! Sir, I wasn't expecting you here. Can I help you, sir? I'm trying to get some information out of this little parasite right now if that's what you're here for!" the detective said excitably. Mike had looked at the Chief with satisfaction when the man entered the room, but his gaze shifted to a more insulted glare towards the young man.

"Parasite?" Mike said.

"Shut up, you. The Chief doesn't want to hear you," the detective snapped.

"Actually, I do. You alright Mike?" the Chief of Police asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine sir. I was beginning to think you ran into traffic," Mike replied with a smile.

"So, you gonna tell me why you've been dragging kids off the streets for no reason?" the Chief asked the detective bitingly. The man seemed shocked by the reaction, and began to stutter wordlessly.

"I'm sorry sir?" the man finally managed.

"There's no reason for this kid to be here. You clearly have no understanding of this city, the way this department works, or the proper procedures of law enforcement. Why shouldn't I sack you right now?" the older man rapidly shot back.

"I'll release him immediately, sir. I'm sorry, sir. I thought it was the right move," the young detective said.

"I know what you were thinking, but I think you should stick close to your supervisor for a few months. You need to learn the ropes," Hopper said before putting his hand on Mike's shoulder and leading him out of the room.

"Mike!" Steve shouted as the two exited the interrogation room.

"Everything's cleared up now," the Chief said. The three of them walked outside the building briskly.

Mike turned to look Hopper in the eyes and said, "Thank you, sir. I'm sorry for calling El about this but I didn't know who else to turn to."

"That's an ironic statement; I'm sure there were plenty of people you could have called for help," the Chief said.

"Yeah, but they wouldn't have handled things peacefully or discreetly. I'm pretty annoyed the guy assumed I was dirty just because of who my dad is, but I don't want him to get hurt. He probably had the best of intentions," Mike replied. The Chief looked impressed with the kid's response and couldn't help but feel his fondness for the boy grow.

"I'm glad you were so thoughtful, Mike. He probably did mean well, but he'll have to learn to be more careful. Feel free to call me again if they give you more trouble. Here's my personal number," the Chief said holding out a small slip of paper to Mike.

"Thank you, Chief!" Mike said. He felt truly grateful for the gesture. The two began to walk away; Steve followed closely behind Mike.

The Chief turned back quickly and shouted at the boy: "Don't forget to call El real quick! She'll never forgive me if you don't tell her you're alright!". The boy's only response was a wide grin directed back at the man.

* * *

 **(AN) I hope you enjoyed the two story-threads I gave in this installment. There will be more to come; hopefully those will have more drama and depth. I enjoyed writing this, but ran out of material earlier than I did in the last piece.**

 **Please leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you for reading! (A/N)**


	9. Chapter 9

**(AN) I do not own Stranger Things or any related media, characters, or trademarks. This is a work undertaken entirely for my own satisfaction and the enjoyment of readers.**

 **This is the third installment of the AU originating in Short Fiction 7. The story will continue to consist of a series of moments between characters, but there will be more plot threads in this section. I remind you that in this story El doesn't have powers. Thank you for reading and please continue enjoying this story! (A/N)**

* * *

 **Short Fiction 9: Allegiances and Defenses (Sequel to Rivalries and Romances AND Friends and Courtesies): Hawkins City, Population 11.1 Million**

* * *

Applause filled the room at the Hawkins Central High School as the graduating class of seniors walked the stage one more time. Jim Hopper was among the throng of applauding friends and family, and sitting next to him was his daughter who had finished her home schooling a week earlier. Max Mayfield was seated on the opposite side of El; she had graduated from Hawkins Midtown High School just yesterday. Now both girls and the respective parents were celebrating the end of an era for Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin. The four boys graduated at the top of their class; Mike and Dustin had barely beaten out the other two for Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively. There was a palpable silence that overcame the room when Mike took the microphone for his speech. After the speech—which consisted of a sizable dose of optimism and calls for unity—there was a round of stiff applause from an audience that was too judgmental to give the boy a chance but too terrified to not pretend they were otherwise. Mike didn't care though, because the only applause he cared about came from a group of social misfits and their accomplices.

After the ceremony, the party left the school together to enjoy the collective sense of freedom and euphoria. Their parents were hesitant at first—except for Mike's who were "too busy to attend"—but gave in to the recently minted adults enthusiasm. As they proceeded through the evening, they all realized that this was the last time they would be together as "the kids" and that life would be moving onward for them all. Mike, El, and Will had all enrolled in Hawkins University; Lucas, Dustin, and Max had enrolled in out-of-state universities. Instead of letting that bring down their spirits, they all vowed that regardless of anything that happened in the future the party would remain intact.

* * *

It was nearly a week after graduation when Hopper heard a car pull up in front of his house. Looking out the window, he saw that it was Steve and Mike—the former wearing his trademark dark suit and cautious expression. Mike nodded at Steve and gestured for him to get back into the car before walking calmly towards the door. Hopper could tell that the boy was extremely nervous despite the relaxed appearance of his outfit. Moments later the expected knock at the door came, and the Chief opened his home suspiciously quickly. "Hello Mike. What brings you here today? El's not home if you're looking for her, but I'm surprised you didn't already know that," Hopper greeted.

"I know she isn't here. I asked Will to invite her on an outing for the afternoon because I needed to speak with you in private," Mike replied while avoiding eye contact with the man. The boy had grown quickly over the years and stood taller than Hopper; thus, his avoidance was all the more awkward.

"With me? What do you need speak with me about?" Hopper asked, surprised. He indicated for the boy to come in before he closed the door behind him. "Go ahead; spit it out," the Chief insisted after seeing Mike wringing his hands together uncomfortably. He and the boy had established a positive relationship after meeting a couple of years ago, so there hadn't been much necessity for awkwardness or discomfort.

"Well, El and I are both entering the university this year so our relationship is naturally moving into more serious territory," Mike started.

"I can already see where this is going, kid. You don't need my blessing if that's what you want, but I'd rather you wait until you both finish school before going too far," Hopper said.

"No, sir! I'm not planning to get married in college either! I am going to propose one day soon though, but I'm not actually here for a blessing," Mike said—nervously at the end.

"You're not? Well, what did you want to talk to me about then?" Hopper said with eyebrows raised.

"Well, sir, I wanted to ask your permission to give El something. I know my last name carries a lot of weight and a lot of burden in this city. The Wheelers have a reputation, and I don't want your daughter anchored to that. I have a solution, but I didn't want to do anything without asking you," Mike stammered out.

"Well I know you've had a few problems with people who didn't think too kindly of your father, but everyone who gets to know you realized that they were wrong to judge you as him," Hopper said with a gentle grin—he couldn't help it if he liked his daughter's boyfriend a little more than a protective dad should. "What did you have in mind?" the man queried.

"Well, I um—I wanted to um—I was going to offer your daughter your name. I want your permission to take El's last name—I guess, your last name—if she wants to. I know it isn't normal or traditional or anything like that, but I think it would make life easier on her and especially if we had any kids one day—" Mike said before being cut off.

"Okay, kid! I got it, and yeah it isn't normal or traditional. I don't really care about all that, though. I see where you're coming from, Mike. Yeah; okay. It's alright with me if you ask El. She gets to make the decision, but it'll be okay with me either way," Hopper said with a genuine smile.

"I uh—thank you, sir. Of course, it's up to her. I just didn't want her to feel stuck with that burden; she only deserves the best and I'm dubious enough without my family's baggage," Mike said with a blush.

"You're not dubiously anything, kid. I agree that she only deserves the best, and for her I think that will include you. You're a good kid; I think you'll be good enough," Hopper said. Compliments of this depth were rare from the experienced law enforcer.

"Th—thank you, sir," Mike stuttered.

"So, when are you going to pop the question?" Hopper asked with a teasing grin.

* * *

That summer, Hopper initiated a crackdown on the unorganized gangs in the southside of the city. His police department arrested multiple known criminals in a matter of days and the disruptive activity had been greatly reduced. This restoration of order came with the annoyance of the gangs in question naturally, and it was late in the summer when they decided to get their revenge. Hopper was sitting in his office when he heard his phone ring—not an unusual happening. He had a bad feeling about this ring, though. Answering, he heard a menacing voice filter through the speaker: "Chief Jim Hopper; we have your daughter. We picked her up this morning on the street outside your home. If you want her back alive you will release all of the prisoners you arrested in the past week. If you haven't started releasing them in twelve hours, we will start sending you pieces of her. If you haven't done it in twenty-four hours, you'll never see the rest of her. Don't bother calling back." The line went dead, and the Chief yelled out loudly in anger.

"Flo! Send a car down to my house and find El!" Hopper yelled to his secretary. The man then dialed his home number and was terrified when no one picked up. He began pacing around his office before several officers came in and he informed them of the call.

"Sir, it's the car we sent to your house. It looks like they were telling the truth, sir," one of them said while holding his cell phone next to his ear. The man exclaimed loudly before taking his head into his hands.

"Find her! Now!" the man yelled at the assembly in the room. They all hastened to follow his orders and find his daughter before it was too late. After nearly an hour of work, the police hadn't made any progress in the case and Hopper was beginning to slip into a nervous breakdown. The Chief's cell phone rang and he picked up hastily: "What do you have? Did you find anything? Well don't just sit there."

"I don't really have anything; what do you mean, sir?" the voice of Mike Wheeler asked in confusion. Hopper realized that in his panic he forgot to call Mike and tell him what was going on. "I was calling because El didn't make it to the Hawkins Library like we arranged. She didn't answer her phone either, so I was calling to make sure she was okay?" Mike said. After a few moments of silence, Mike continued: "She's, alright, isn't she?". Hopper broke down and told the boy what was happening; he told him all about the call and the police work that had been undertaken recently. This required about twenty minutes, but once he was done he was met with silence on Mike's end.

"Mike? You still there? I've got to get back to the search," Hopper prompted.

"Yes; I'm still here," Mike said with barely contained rage and despair in his voice. "Steve will be at police headquarters in fifteen minutes. When he gets there, he will pick up a copy of all the information you have. Get ready for him," Mike ordered harshly.

"What do you think you're doing? You don't give the orders—" Hopper started, somewhat perturbed.

"I'm sorry Chief, but there's no time for discussion. El's life is at risk and I need your help," Mike said resolutely.

"What can you do, kid? I'm the Chief of Police. We're the ones who handle these things," Hopper said.

"Not in this case, Chief. I love her more than anything else on this planet, and I'll raise hell to find her," the boy said with fiery passion.

"What's your plan, kid?" the Chief asked nervously.

"You're going to keep looking for her, but I need you to warn your officers be careful today. I'm calling my father. I've not had any reason to bother him for a year, but this is different. This is El. She'll be safe very soon," Mike responded angrily.

"Okay Mike. Usually, I'd fight you on this, but you're right—this is El. The files will be waiting in the lobby," Hopper said before hanging up. "Hey Flo, send a bulletin to all the precincts warning them that the streets will be dangerous today," Hopper shouted to the woman—he would have to remember to get her a nice gift soon.

* * *

Mike called every single Mob leader in his contact list, and followed it up with a call to his father—Don Wheeler. The last call was tense—as calls with his dad usually were—but it was enough to convince the man to step in. He didn't really know his son's girlfriend or even keep up with his children's lives, but he was obsessed with respect. Anyone foolish enough to abduct the girlfriend of the Mob Don's son, clearly didn't understand respect.

After only an hour, the streets were crawling with Mob cars and shifty suited figures. There were knocks on the door of every informant's home, and certain parts of the city were feeling the weight of the situation. Every criminal in the city was getting nervous; they had never seen such a vengeful fervor out of the Mob. Steve was worried about Mike, but he had little opportunity to question the boy. As soon as he found out that El was in danger, he took up the worst of his family's habits and began barking orders. Now, Steve found himself sitting in the Byers' home with Will, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and Joyce. There were three other suited men standing just outside the home; Mike had entered his fiercely protective mode and until his girlfriend was safe he wouldn't rest. When Steve had first arrived at the home, Joyce had turned to him: "What's going on Steve? Why did you ask me to call all of the kids over? Where's Mike? He's usually with you."

"El got kidnapped," Steve said quietly. They all gasped before staring at him. "El got kidnapped, and now Mike has called in his father. You know what that means. I'm supposed to stay here with you guys," Steve finished. The kids—young adults now, Steve supposed—tried to object. They thought they could go out and help in the search, but Steve had no patience for that: "No! Everyone stays here until everything calms down."

* * *

Hopper reached his office just in time to hear his cell phone ring. Looking down at it, he saw Mike's number on the caller ID line. He picked up: "Mike! It's almost been five hours! I've got nothing; please tell me you have more than me."

"Yes, Chief; I do. I found her. My father's people tracked the culprits to a warehouse in the southside ghettos. She'll be out within the hour," Mike said with a voice the Chief found threatening.

"Where is it? My officers can go right away!" Hopper exclaimed.

"It's next to the tracks, but please tell your officers to keep their distance. I told you I was going to call my father. He took things personally, and he'll be there in person. They should stay away for now," Mike said.

"Then I'm coming myself. This is my little girl," Hopper said resolutely.

"Of course, sir. I'll be at the corner of Upside Street and Down Boulevard. Meet me there in thirty minutes," Mike said sharply.

* * *

When Hopper pulls up at the street corner, he sees Mike standing in the midst of a large crowd of dark suited men. None of them had the cheery disposition of Steve, so the Chief guessed they worked for his father. Approaching cautiously, he found several guns pointed at him before he even got out of the car. "It's okay; he's here with me," Mike said before the men lowered their weapons. It was days like today that Hopper remembered how much power in Hawkins rested outside of the police.

"Is she okay, Mike?" Hopper asked worriedly when he reached the boy's side.

"I think so, sir. My dad's people say she hasn't been touched yet. He's about to go in and get her," Mike responded quietly. It was then that Hopper saw his daughter's boyfriend shaking in fear; he looked terrified. Reaching over, he brought the Wheeler kid in for an embrace. He knew exactly how the kid felt.

Suddenly, the building across the tracks started emanating loud noises. Shouts and bangs could be heard clearly even at the distance. After five minutes all the sound ceased, and everything was still. Suddenly a black limousine pulled around the corner and came to a stop in front of the street corner. The doors opened and El jumped out and ran towards the two men who were waiting for her. Hopper and Mike wrapped her in simultaneous hugs before her father released her. Chief Hopper turned to address the man now exiting the car: Don Ted Wheeler. The man was unimpressive in appearance, but the way he carried himself clarified the dangerous aura that surrounded him. "Thank you," the Chief said abruptly.

"Of course; of course. I don't believe we've met. I assume you know who I am, and it won't surprise you that I know who you are," Ted Wheeler said.

"Yes, naturally," Hopper responded.

"I'm sure you know my son better than I do, but this is the first time he's asked me for help in nearly a decade. Your girl must mean a lot to him. I know he's ashamed of me and I'm not a great father. Don't worry Mr. Police Chief, my people will make it clear to the people in our circle that she isn't to be messed with again," the Don said.

"Thank you. They really do mean a lot to each other," Hopper said, looking over his shoulder at the two young adults who were locked in a loving embrace.

"I see that. I have one thing to ask of you before we part ways," the other man said.

"What is it? Something legal I hope," Hopper said.

"Precisely that, actually. My son has made a point to keep out of my business for his entire life. Today is the closest he's ever come to breaking that commitment. I held him back as soon as he told me what was going on, but I want you to promise me that you'll watch him in the future. You have to keep him pure of my sins," Ted said sincerely.

Taken aback, Hopper hesitated before answering: "I understand. I've known your boy for nearly four years now, and he's a good kid. He loves his friends and he loves my little girl. I'll look out for him."

"Good; thank you," Don Wheeler said. "Now let's talk about how you're going to explain those bodies in that warehouse. There are about twelve of them," the man said before chuckling at the shocked look on the Chief's face. Understanding the man's confusion, Ted Wheeler continued: "I said that I wanted my son to stay pure. I didn't say I had any reservations about doing what needs to be done. Those b******s kidnapped my son's girlfriend and—by looks of those two—my future daughter-in-law. They had to learn the price of crossing that line." The two men nodded at each other in understanding and respect—though not necessarily approval—before parting ways.

* * *

It was some months later—after their first semester at Hawkins University—while Mike and El were on a date at the Hawkins Museum of Art, that Mike took both of El's hands in his own and stared into her eyes. "El, I love you. I have loved you for years, and I don't think I could ever love any person as much as I love you. It's my hope that we spend the rest of our lives together," the young man said passionately.

"I love you too, Mike. We'll be together; I promise," the young woman said while looking up into his eyes softly.

"I'm not going to propose right now because the both of us are in school still, but I wanted to promise you that I will. I promise that as soon as we're done with college, I'm going to propose to you. You don't have to say yes, but I'll ask," Mike continued nervously.

"Mike, of course I'm going to say yes. I've been ready to say yes to you since the week we met. When you ask doesn't matter to me at all; the answer will remain the same," El said. They got lost in each other's eyes—and lips—before walking through the rest of the museum. Once they had finished for the day, Mike turned once more to his girlfriend and smiled at her.

"I talked to Hopper about it, and he said I could take your name if you want," he whispered nervously.

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Well, I know traditionally you would take my name but since mine is so tainted here I thought you deserved to keep the clean one you already have," Mike said with quiet devotion in his eyes.

"Oh Mike; that's not the way I feel at all. I want to take your name. I want to be El Wheeler one day; I've been dreaming of it since I understood the idea," she said quickly.

"Are you sure? The Wheelers have a nasty reputation in Hawkins. What if we had kids? You'd want them to have as little to do with my origins—me—as possible," Mike remarked.

"Wrong. I love you Mike—all of you. I love everything about you; your name is just another part of you and I love it too. We are going to share the rest of our lives together; please let me share your name," El prompted passionately.

"Wow El—just wow. I don't know what to say. I never thought anyone would be able to see past the film of guilt and blood that covers my name, but—" Mike started.

"Instead, I—and anyone else with half a mind—sees a smart, sweet, and loving man. I love you Mike," she interrupted before planting a kiss on his lips. As the couple walked back towards the car, their guards—Steve and Kali, respectively—gave each other knowing glances. The two young adults walked hand-in-hand as they ventured into the world before them.

* * *

 **(AN) I have mixed feelings about this installment. There were some great moments, but some that left me underwhelmed. Please tell me what you thought about it: you are the ones that matter here anyways!**

 **Thank you for reading, and please remember to leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions. (A/N)**


End file.
